Meeting Abstract
P2.26 Tuesday, Jan. 5 Expression pattern of anti-apoptotic genes survivin and mortalin in the regenerating digestive tube of a sea cucumber MASHANOV, V.S.; ZUEVA, O.R.**; ROJAS-CARTAGENA, C.; GARCIA-ARRARAS, J.E.; University of Puerto Rico; University of Puerto Rico; University of Puerto Rico; University of Puerto Rico zuevaolga@yahoo.com
Apoptosis has been known to play an important role in a variety of developmental processes and to prevent various pathological abnormalities, including cancer. It has also been shown to be involved in post-traumatic regeneration in a variety of organisms. Regeneration is a highly complex process of secondary development, where cell proliferation and cell death must be precisely orchestrated. An essential part of this regulatory machinery are genes, whose expression prevents cells from entering the programmed cell death pathway. These genes are vital for embryogenesis to occur properly, but their over-expression in adult organisms is usually associated with cancerogenesis. Using quantitative real-time PCR and in situ hybridization techniques we show the expression of two anti-apoptotic genes, survivin and mortalin, in the regenerating digestive tube of the sea cucumber Holothuria glaberrima (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea). The most significant over-expression of both genes, when compared to intact animals, is observed in the gut mesothelium (outer layer of the gut wall) during the second week after visceral autotomy, i.e, during the stage of the extensive growth of the regenerate. The gut mesothelium is a complex tissue composed of specialized cell types, including peritoneocytes, myoepithelial cells, and also contains the basiepithelial nerve plexus. During the first two weeks following injury, this tissue is known to undergo a sequence of drastic changes in organization, such as de-differentiation, a morphogenic phase (including cell division, death, and migration), and re-differentiation. Activation of survivin and mortalin coincides with those processes and, therefore, seems to be important for tissue remodeling during regeneration.
