Studies of naturally evolved regeneration

受伤后再生受损身体部位的能力是一种戏剧性的但鲜为人知的现象。虽然一些种类的硬骨鱼和火蜥蜴能够替代多种组织类型，但大多数其他物种不能。蜥蜴是一个新出现的例外。300多年来，人们已经认识到，许多蜥蜴可以自然地再生出替代的尾巴。我的NSERC资助的项目正在进行的研究发现，有证据表明蜥蜴的再生能力有所扩大。更具体地说，我们确定豹壁虎，一种常见的宠物贸易蜥蜴，不断产生新的神经元和心肌细胞(心肌细胞)，这两种细胞在哺乳动物中基本上是不可替代的。此外，我们还发现，壁虎还可以愈合皮肤上的伤口，而不会留下疤痕。这些数据为我们提供了令人兴奋的新见解，以了解负责跨多个器官自发恢复组织结构和功能的机制。我的研究计划的长期目标是识别和理解允许和促进受损组织的结构和功能替换的生物学机制。为了实现这一目标，我们研究了蜥蜴多样化和自然发生的再生能力。我们的短期目标是确定再生三个不同器官的细胞机制和功能后果：心脏、大脑和皮肤。我们假设再生是一个组织/器官特有的过程，强调功能恢复而不是精确的结构复制。这一创新的研究计划对于解决生物学中最具挑战性的问题之一至关重要：为什么一些组织、器官和物种可以再生，而其他组织、器官和物种不能。比较研究，例如涉及蜥蜴的研究，是再生研究的黄金标准。此外，这个项目将允许我们探索自我修复机制的进化和多样性。除了再生生物学，这项研究还在干细胞和发育生物学领域做出了重要贡献。我们预计豹壁虎能够再生心脏、大脑和皮肤的一部分，这些特殊的能力将揭示出意想不到的修复机制的多样性。在这项研究中获得的知识对于更全面地了解组织如何在受伤后自然重建至关重要。这项研究对生物学家和生物医学科学家有明显的好处，对转化医学具有重要意义。我们是爬行动物再生领域的全球领导者，在蜥蜴生物学、外科手术、组织学和行为方面拥有独特的专业知识。我们在公共参与、科学交流和招聘不同背景的高素质人员方面有着良好的记录。事实证明，豹壁虎模式的独创性和魅力在招收学生和促进公众对科学的兴趣方面取得了成功。

The ability to regenerate damaged body parts following injury is a dramatic but poorly understood phenomenon. While some species of bony fish and salamanders are capable of replacing multiple tissue types, most other species cannot. One emerging exception is lizards. For more than 300 years it has been recognized that many lizards can naturally regenerate a replacement tail. Ongoing research by my NSERC-funded program has discovered evidence of an expanded regenerative repertoire in lizards. More specifically, we determined that the leopard gecko, a common pet trade lizard, constantly makes new neurons and cardiac muscle cells (cardiomyocytes), two cell types that are essentially irreplaceable in mammals. In addition, we discovered that geckos also heal wounds to the skin without scarring. These data provide us with exciting new insight into the mechanisms responsible for spontaneously restoring tissue structure and function across multiple organs. The long-term goal of my research program is to identify and understand the biological mechanisms that permit and promote the structural and functional replacement of damaged tissues. To achieve this goal, we study the diverse and naturally occurring regenerative abilities of lizards. Our short-term objectives are to determine the cellular mechanisms and functional consequences involved in regenerating three distinct organs: the heart, brain, and skin. We hypothesize that regeneration is a tissue/organ-specific process that emphasizes functional restoration over precise structural replication. This innovative research program is essential for addressing one of the most challenging questions in biology: why do some tissues, organs, and species regenerate while others do not. Comparative studies, such as those involving lizards, are the gold standard for regeneration research. Further, this program will allow us to probe the evolution and diversity of self-repair mechanisms. Beyond regenerative biology, this research provides important contributions to the fields of stem cell and developmental biology. We anticipate that leopard geckos are capable of regenerating portions of the heart, brain, and skin, and that these exceptional abilities will reveal an unexpected diversity of reparative mechanisms. Knowledge acquired during this research is critical for a more complete understanding of how tissues can be naturally rebuilt after injury. This research has obvious benefits for biologists and biomedical scientists, with important implications for translational medicine. We are global leaders in the field of reptile regeneration, with unique expertise in lizard biology, surgery, histology, and behavior. We have a proven track record of public engagement, scientific communication, and recruiting highly qualified personnel of diverse backgrounds. The originality and charisma of the leopard gecko model has proven successful in recruiting students and promoting public interest in science.