Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1942/34122
Title: A Spatiotemporal Characterisation of Redox Molecules in Planarians, with a Focus on the Role of Glutathione during Regeneration
Authors: BIJNENS, Karolien 
JAENEN, Vincent 
WOUTERS, Annelies 
LEYNEN, Nathalie 
PIROTTE, Nicky 
ARTOIS, Tom 
SMEETS, Karen 
Issue Date: 2021
Publisher: MDPI
Source: Biomolecules, 11 (5) (Art N° 714)
Abstract: A strict coordination between pro- and antioxidative molecules is needed for normal animal physiology, although their exact function and dynamics during regeneration and development remains largely unknown. Via in vivo imaging, we were able to locate and discriminate between reactive oxygen species (ROS) in real-time during different physiological stages of the highly regenerative planarian Schmidtea mediterranea. All ROS signals were strong enough to overcome the detected autofluorescence. Combined with an in situ characterisation and quantification of the transcription of several antioxidant genes, our data showed that the planarian gut and epidermis have a well-equipped redox system. Pharmacological inhibition or RNA interference of either side of the redox balance resulted in alterations in the regeneration process, characterised by decreased blastema sizes and delayed neurodevelopment, thereby affecting tails more than heads. Focusing on glutathione, a central component in the redox balance, we found that it is highly present in planarians and that a significant reduction in glutathione content led to regenerative failure with tissue lesions, characterised by underlying stem cell alterations. This exploratory study indicates that ROS and antioxidants are tightly intertwined and should be studied as a whole to fully comprehend the function of the redox balance in animal physiology.
Keywords: planarians;wound healing and tissue regeneration;stem cells;redox molecules;reactive oxygen species;antioxidants
Document URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1942/34122
e-ISSN: 2218-273X
DOI: 10.3390/biom11050714
ISI #: 000653426600001
Rights: 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/).
Category: A1
Type: Journal Contribution
Validations: ecoom 2022
Appears in Collections:Research publications

Files in This Item:
File Description SizeFormat 
biomolecules-11-00714-v2.pdfPublished version8.12 MBAdobe PDFView/Open
Show full item record

WEB OF SCIENCETM
Citations

4
checked on Mar 29, 2024

Page view(s)

56
checked on Jun 9, 2022

Download(s)

18
checked on Jun 9, 2022

Google ScholarTM

Check

Altmetric


Items in DSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.