Regenerative Neurogenesis

Regeneration processes are of vital importance for the repair and replacement of lost tissues and organs. Regenerative neurogenesis is one of the least studied events in deuterostome animals where nervous cells and fibers are regarded as one of the least replaceable tissues. Our project uses the sea cucumber to explore the regeneration of the nervous system. First, it aims to study neurogenesis in the central and peripheral components of the Holothurian nervous system and the associated cellular events of proliferation and differentiation. Second, it explores the role in regeneration of glial cells found within the central nervous system component. Finally, it studies the expression of genes, known to be important in regenerative and embryological organogenesis and their expression during nervous system regeneration.