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SUMMARY:“Spinal cord regeneration in amphibians (Xenopus)” - Professor
  Juan Larrain\, Chile
DTSTART:20110908T130000Z
DTEND:20110908T140000Z
UID:TALK32699@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Shannon Tinley-Browne
DESCRIPTION:Spinal cord regeneration in Xenopus\nJuan Larraín\, PhD\nCent
 er for Aging and Regeneration\nMillennium Nucleus for Regenerative Biology
 \nP. Universidad Católica de Chile\n\nAmphibians\, such as adult urodeles
  (e.g. newts) and anuran larvae (e.g. Xenopus) are able to regenerate the 
 spinal cord after injury. In the case of Xenopus tadpoles this capacity is
  lost during metamorphosis. We are studying the cellular and molecular mec
 hanism that allow this regenerative process and why is lost during metamor
 phosis. In particular\, we have focused in the role of neural stem (NSC) a
 nd progenitor cells (NPC) in spinal cord regeneration in Xenopus tadpoles 
 using two experimental approaches: tail amputation and spinal cord transec
 tion. \nSpinal cord injury (SCI) in Xenopus tadpoles results in a global i
 ncrease of Sox2 and nestin levels and activation of Sox2+ cells measured b
 y BrdU labeling experiments. Experimental reduction of Sox2 activity dimin
 ished proliferation of spinal cord resident cells affecting spinal cord re
 generation after tail amputation. Interestingly\, reduction of Sox2 levels
  also affects tail regeneration suggesting that spinal cord regeneration c
 ommands the whole regenerative process. The levels of Sox2+ cells levels c
 orrelate with regenerative capabilities during metamorphosis suggesting th
 at activation of this cells is required for spinal cord regeneration. In a
 ddition\, Sox2+ cell aggregates repopulated the ablation gap in the spinal
  cord transection model giving further support to its role in spinal cord 
 regeneration.\nIn summary\, we have established that SCI in Xenopus tadpol
 es results in activation of Sox2+ cells making it an excellent model syste
 m to study the biology of NSC and/or NPC and its role in spinal cord regen
 eration. Currently we are working on the following research lines: i) To i
 dentify and characterize bona fide NSC and NPC resident in the spinal cord
 \; ii) To study and compare the activation and fate of Sox2+ cells in rege
 nerative and non-regenerative stages along the process of metamorphosis\; 
 iii) to evaluate if SCI results in glial scar formation\; iv) To perform a
  high-through put analysis to compare the transcriptome activated in respo
 nse to SCI in different stages.  \n
LOCATION:Brain Repair Centre\, Forvie Site\, Robinson Way
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