Greenenordentoft3217

Regeneration of lost or injured organs is an intriguing process where numerous cellular events take place to form the new structure. Studies of this process during reconstitution of the intestine have been performed in echinoderms, particularly in holothurians. Many cellular events triggered during regeneration have been described using the sea cucumber Holothuria glaberrima as a research model. More recent experiments have targeted the molecular mechanism behind the process, a task that has been eased by the new sequencing technologies now available. In this review we present the studies involving cellular processes and the genes that have been identified to be associated with the early events of gut regeneration. We also present the ongoing efforts to perform functional studies necessary to establish the role(s) of the identified genes. A synopsis of the studies is given with the course of the regenerative process established so far.Cell fusion is a process in which cells unite their membranes and cytoplasm and is fundamental for sexual reproduction and embryonic development. Among the best-known cell fusion processes during animal development are fertilization, myoblast fusion, osteoclast generation, and vulva formation in Caenorhabditis elegans. Although it is involved in many other functions in unicellular and multicellular organisms, little is known about the mechanisms of cell fusion and the genes that code for the proteins participating in this process. Benjamin Podbilewicz has dedicated many years to understanding the process and mechanisms of cell fusion. In this interview, he spoke to us about how he began his studies of this process, his contributions to this exciting field, scientific ties with Ibero-America and his strategies for a well-balanced scientific/personal life.The pocket protein family controls several cellular functions such as cell cycle, differentiation, and apoptosis, among others; however, its role in stress has been poorly explored. The roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans is a simple model organism whose genes are highly conserved during evolution. C. elegans has only one pocket protein, LIN-35; a pRB-related protein similar to p130. To control the expression of some of its targets, LIN-35 interacts with E2F-DP transcription factors and LIN-52, a member of SynMUV (Synthetic Muv complex). Together, these proteins form the DRM complex, which is also known as the DREAM complex in mammals. In this review, we will focus on the role of LIN-35 and its partners in the stress response. It has been shown that LIN-35 is required to control starvation in L1 and L4 larval stages, and to induce starvation-induced germ apoptosis. click here Remarkably, during L1 starvation, insulin/IGF-1 receptor signaling (IIS), as well as the pathogenic, toxin, and oxidative stress-responsive genes, are repressed by LIN-35. The lack of lin-35 also triggers a downregulation of oxidative stress genes. Recent works showed that lin-35 and hpl-2 mutant animals showed enhanced resistance to UPR ER. Additionally, hpl-2 mutant animals also exhibited the upregulation of autophagic genes, suggesting that the SynMuv/DRM proteins participate in this process. Finally, lin-35(n745) mutant animals overexpressed hsp-6, a chaperone that participated in the UPRmt. All of these data demonstrate that LIN-35 and its partners play an important role during the stress response.The endocrine disruptor Bisphenol A (BPA) crosses the placental barrier and reaches the fetal organs, including the gonads. In the testis, fetal Leydig cells (FLC) produce testosterone required for the male phenotype and homeostatic cell-cell signaling in the developing testis. Although it is known that BPA affects cell proliferation and differentiation in FLC, results concerning the mechanism involved are contradictory, mainly due to differences among species. Fast developing fetal gonads of rodents lack cortex and medulla, whereas species with more extended gestation periods form these two tissue compartments. The rabbit provides a good subject for studying the disruptive effect of BPA in fetal Leydig and possible postnatal endocrine consequences in adult Leydig cells. Here, we investigated the impact of BPA administered to pregnant rabbits does, on the FLC population of the developing testes. Using qRT-PCR, we assessed the levels of SF1, CYP11A1, 3β-HSD, and androgen receptor (AR) genes, and levels of fetal serum testosterone were measured by ELISA. These levels correlated with both the mitotic activity and the ultrastructural differentiation of the FLC by confocal and electron microscopy, respectively. Results indicate that BPA alters the expression levels of essential genes involved in androgen paracrine signaling, modifies the proliferation and differentiation of the FLCs, and alters the levels of serum testosterone after birth. Thus, BPA may change the postnatal levels of serum testosterone due to the impaired FLC population formed by the proliferating stem and non-proliferating cytodifferentiated FLC.Developmental Biology is a growing discipline in Chile. It started in the 1950s when Luis Izquierdo challenged the traditional descriptive perspective of embryology and comparative anatomy to explore the mechanisms underlying the origin of form. After this initial drive, Claudio Barros beginning in the late 1960s and Juan Fernández in the late 1970s, contributed with unique and complementary facets to the early growth of the discipline. In the 1980s, the community of developmental biologists created its first forms of association together with the reproduction biology community, and in 1993 the first international course of developmental biology was organised. During the 1990s and 2000s, a group of young investigators arrived in Chile after postdocs in Europe and the US to build the first research centres of developmental biology, fostering the discipline to an unprecedented level. In the 2010s, as these centres consolidated, a stream of young developmental biologists established new labs at several institutions, expanding the community size and broadening its scope. The recent organisation of developmental biology meetings fostered the sense of community and nurtured the need of formal organisation, setting the bases for the foundation of the Chilean Society for Developmental Biology in 2019. Today, the community of developmental biologists is a mix of young and experienced investigators working in a variety of geographical locations, institutions, topics and model organisms. These characteristics are a strength of an active community that is pushing the discipline to the next level, aiming to make it a relevant actor in national and international settings.