7.342  Developmental and Molecular Biology of Regeneration

Regeneration is widespread throughout the animal kingdom.  Remarkably, planarian flatworms and hydra can regenerate an entirely new body.  Salamanders can regenerate entirely new limbs, and fish can regenerate fins, spinal cords, and even heart tissue.  Even mammals can regenerate digit tips, liver, and hair, and they must maintain the blood, skin and gut throughout adulthood.  How does a regenerating animal “know” what’s missing? How are stem cells or differentiated cells used to create new tissues during regeneration?  We will take a comparative approach to explore this fascinating problem by critically examining classic and modern scientific literature about the developmental and molecular biology of regeneration.  We will learn about conserved developmental pathways that are necessary for regeneration, and we will discuss the relevance of these findings for regenerative medicine.