Journal Article

Embryonic origin of adult stem cells required for tissue homeostasis and regeneration

Davies, Erin L, Alvarado, Alejandro Sánchez, Lei, Kai, Robb, Sofia MC, Kroesen, Amanda E, Gotting, Kirsten, McKinney, Sean A, Seidel, Christopher W, Guo, Longhua, Ross, Eric J

2017

Overview

Planarian neoblasts are pluripotent, adult somatic stem cells and lineage-primed progenitors that are required for the production and maintenance of all differentiated cell types, including the germline. Neoblasts, originally defined as undifferentiated cells residing in the adult parenchyma, are frequently compared to embryonic stem cells yet their developmental origin remains obscure. We investigated the provenance of neoblasts during Schmidtea mediterranea embryogenesis, and report that neoblasts arise from an anarchic, cycling piwi-1+ population wholly responsible for production of all temporary and definitive organs during embryogenesis. Early embryonic piwi-1+ cells are molecularly and functionally distinct from neoblasts: they express unique cohorts of early embryo enriched transcripts and behave differently than neoblasts in cell transplantation assays. Neoblast lineages arise as organogenesis begins and are required for construction of all major organ systems during embryogenesis. These subpopulations are continuously generated during adulthood, where they act as agents of tissue homeostasis and regeneration. Flatworms are masters of regeneration. If virtually any piece of a flatworm is cut off, a new fully functional individual will grow from it within two weeks. This is no simple task since flatworms contain a wide variety of organ systems, including a brain, nervous system, eyes, kidneys, gut, muscle and skin. Flatworms owe their regenerative abilities to adult stem cells called neoblasts. Like embryonic stem cells, neoblasts can replicate themselves and they can develop into any type of cell found in an adult worm. In contrast, adult stem cells in fruit flies, zebrafish, mice and humans can only produce the type of cells found in the organ or tissue they live in. Now, Davies et al. have tracked how and when neoblasts develop in embryos of the flatworm species Schmidtea mediterranea by documenting the distinct gene expression signatures in flatworm embryos at various stages of development. An atlas of the genes that are expressed in various embryonic tissues and in major organs as they begin to develop was also created. These tools, and the results of cell transplantation experiments, revealed that neoblasts emerge from embryonic stem cells as the major organs start to form. As the emerging neoblasts start to express the same combination of genes as adult neoblasts, they also begin to behave just like these cells. The populations of neoblasts remain present throughout the life of the flatworm, helping to maintain, repair and regenerate tissues. In the future, work that builds on the results presented here by Davies et al. will help researchers to understand more about how stem cells are maintained and regulated. By learning more about the genetic differences between neoblasts and human adult stem cells scientists may be able to explain why humans and other mammals have a limited ability to regenerate. This information could potentially help to develop treatments that stimulate regeneration in patients with degenerative diseases or traumatic injuries.

• Publisher: eLife Sciences Publications Ltd,eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd
• Subject: Adult Stem Cells - physiology / anarchic cleavage / Animals / Cell Lineage / Developmental Biology and Stem Cells / Embryo cells / Embryogenesis / Embryos / Experiments / Gene expression / Homeostasis / Organogenesis / Parenchyma / planaria / Planarians - embryology / Platyhelminthes / Pluripotency / Population / Regeneration / Schmidtea mediterranea / Sperm / Stem cells / Transplantation