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Mechanisms of Tissue Regeneration

Research Mission

The Department of Animal Physiology seeks to understand the mechanisms of successful tissue regeneration. We use comparative approaches between different regenerative animals, such as planarian flatworms and spiny mice (Acomys), and their poorly regenerating relatives to uncover the molecular pathways that prevent scarring and promote regeneration after injury. Our efforts include in vitro methods, such as iPS-derived tissue culture to complement and partially replace in vivo regeneration experiments.

Research Topics

Scar-free regeneration of the skin
Cardiac repair after ischemic injury
Stress-response pathways after injury
Evolution of regeneration

Model systems

Planarian flatworms
Spiny mice (Acomys)
iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes and other cell types

Methods

spatially resolved transcriptomics (Tomo-seq)
single-cell gene expression analysis
microscopic analysis of molecules and subcellular structures in tissues and cells
human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology

Selected publications

Koopmans T, van Beijnum H, Roovers EF, Tomasso A, Malhotra D, Boeter J, Psathaki OE, Versteeg D, van Rooij E, & Bartscherer K (2021) Ischemic tolerance and cardiac repair in the African spiny mouse. npj Regenerative Medicine 6:78, doi.org/10.1038/s41536-021-00188-2. pdf Press release
Schmidt D, Reuter H, Hüttner K, Ruhe L, Rabert F, Seebeck F, Irimia M, Solana J, & Bartscherer K (2018) The Integrator complex regulates differential snRNA processing and fate of adult stem cells in the highly regenerative planarian Schmidtea mediterranea. PLoS Genet 14, e1007828, doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1007828. pdf
Owlarn S, Klenner F, Schmidt D, Rabert F, Tomasso A, Reuter H, Mulaw M, Moritz S, Gentile L, Weidinger G, & Bartscherer K (2017) Generic wound signals initiate regeneration in missing-tissue contexts. Nat Commun 8, 2282, doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02338-x. pdf