The "Imori Network NNN Project Group" consisting of Tsukuba University, Utsunomiya University, Yamagata University, etc. has discovered a novel gene that can explain the high regenerative ability of the newt by comprehensive gene analysis of Japanese fire belly newt, and has been known so far. He revealed the mysterious behavior of the Japanese fire belly newt that had not been seen.
The newt is the only quadrupedal animal, including humans, that has a high degree of regeneration ability even in adults in the terrestrial stage.In order to understand this regenerative ability, we searched for a regenerative gene unique to newts.
First, a comprehensive gene database of Japanese fire belly newt was constructed.Among them, when the genes whose expression was increased in the process of limb regeneration of adult newts were investigated, one novel gene was discovered.
A research group named this Newtic1 discovered the surprising fact that Newtic1 is specific to tailed amphibians and that Newtic1 is expressed by some mature erythrocytes.Subsequently, in the process of limb regeneration, it was found that erythrocytes in the traumatized area newly expressed Newtic1 while forming aggregates and accumulating at the tips of regenerated buds.
Furthermore, from the mysterious behavior of erythrocytes that accumulate in regenerated buds, it is considered that erythrocytes of adult newts play some role other than the commonly known oxygen transport, and their genes are analyzed.As a result, it was clarified that the red blood cells of Japanese fire belly newt express various secretory factors, and these factors are carried into the regenerated buds in the process of limb regeneration.
The fact that Newtic1 is expressed in traumatic erythrocytes and the erythrocytes carry various factors to the regenerated buds strongly suggests that Newtic1 and the carried factors may be involved in newt limb regeneration.It can be said that this discovery is an important achievement that leads to understanding the regenerative ability of newts and applying it to human medicine.
Paper information:[Scientific Reports] Novel erythrocyte clumps revealed by an orphan gene Newtic1 in generating blood and regenerating limbs of the adult newt
