Tissue Repair and Epimorphic Regeneration: an Overview

AbstractPurpose of the ReviewThis manuscript discusses wound healing as a component of epimorphic regeneration and the role of the immune system in this process.Recent FindingsEpimorphic regeneration involves formation of a blastema, a mass of undifferentiated cells capable of giving rise to the regenerated tissues. The apical epithelial cap plays an important role in blastemal formation.SummaryTrue regeneration is rarely observed in mammals. With the exception of transgenic strains, tissue repair in mammals usually leads to non-functional fibrotic tissue formation. In contrast, a number of lower order species including planarians, salamanders, and reptiles have the ability to overcome the burden of scarring and tissue loss through complex adaptations that allow them to regenerate various anatomic structures through epimorphic regeneration. Blastemal cells have been suggested to originate via various mechanisms including dedifferentiation, transdifferentiation, migration of pre-existing adult stem cell niches, and combinations of these.
Source: Current Pathobiology Reports - Category: Laboratory Medicine Source Type: research