Int. J. Dev. Biol. 45: S121 - S122 (2001)

Vol 45, Issue S1

Regeneration of gross molecular body regions in planaria: from molecules to organs

Published: 1 June 2001

D Bueno, J Fernandez-Rodriguez, A Cardona, V Hernandez, R Romero

Univ Barcelona, Fac Biol, Dept Genet, E-08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Abstract

For many organisms, the establishment and subsequent maintenance of anteroposterior polarity is governed by gene expression in several molecular regions. We have identified two novel regionally expressed molecules, TCEN49 and TNEX59, that may be involved in such processes. The analysis of tcen49 mRNA expression and TCEN49 protein localisation in a variety of physiological conditions, the specific arrest of anterior regeneration by exogenous retinoic acid administration, the functional analysis of tcen49 by RNA interference, and the structural similarities between TCEN49 and TNEX59, all suggest that planarian molecular regions reflect deeper morphological, physiological and functional compartmentalisation.