Spatial Transcriptomics Reveals Asymmetric Cellular Responses to Injury in the Regenerating Spiny Mouse () Ear

Overview

Journal Genome Res

Specialty Genetics

Date 2023 Sep 19

PMID 37726147

Authors

Henriette van Beijnum

Tim Koopmans

Antonio Tomasso

Vanessa Disela

Severin Te Lindert

Jeroen Bakkers

Anna Alemany

Eugene Berezikov

Kerstin Bartscherer

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

In contrast to other mammals, the spiny mouse () regenerates skin and ear tissue, which includes hair follicles, glands, and cartilage, in a scar-free manner. Ear punch regeneration is asymmetric with only the proximal wound side participating in regeneration. Here, we show that cues originating from the proximal side are required for normal regeneration and use spatially resolved transcriptomics (tomo-seq) to understand the molecular and cellular events underlying this process. Analyzing gene expression across the ear and comparing expression modules between proximal and distal wound sides, we identify asymmetric gene expression patterns and pinpoint regenerative processes in space and time. Moreover, using a comparative approach with nonregenerative rodents (, ), we strengthen a hypothesis in which particularities in the injury-induced immune response may be one of the crucial determinants for why spiny mice regenerate whereas their relatives do not. Our data are available in SpinyMine, an easy-to-use and expandable web-based tool for exploring regeneration-associated gene expression.

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