Why I love reading the science

[TwoTankAmin]

I have been reading research paper I search for on Google Scholar for almost 20 years now. it all started when I got curious about the bacteria involved with cycling. I regularly poke around on Scholar with no particular reason other than curiosity about something.

I have learned that there are a couple of fish which are very well studied because the can be used to research human diseases etc. Xiphophorus- especially the platys and swords have some the most in depth and complete gene maps of any species. Their pigmentation has made them a central animals for doing cancer research, especially into melanomas.

Another fish quite popular in the scientific community are zebra danios aka zebrafish (Danio rerio). And about 20 minutes ago I popped onto Google Scholar and for some reason decided to look for info in genral on zebras. And body was I amazed by what I discovered. Here are two papers that explains it better than I can.

Jopling, C., Sleep, E., Raya, M. et al. Zebrafish heart regeneration occurs by cardiomyocyte dedifferentiation and proliferation. Nature 464, 606–609 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature08899

Zebrafish heart regeneration occurs by cardiomyocyte dedifferentiation and proliferation​

Abstract​

Although mammalian hearts show almost no ability to regenerate, there is a growing initiative to determine whether existing cardiomyocytes or progenitor cells can be coaxed into eliciting a regenerative response. In contrast to mammals, several non-mammalian vertebrate species are able to regenerate their hearts1,2,3, including the zebrafish4,5, which can fully regenerate its heart after amputation of up to 20% of the ventricle. To address directly the source of newly formed cardiomyocytes during zebrafish heart regeneration, we first established a genetic strategy to trace the lineage of cardiomyocytes in the adult fish, on the basis of the Cre/lox system widely used in the mouse6. Here we use this system to show that regenerated heart muscle cells are derived from the proliferation of differentiated cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, we show that proliferating cardiomyocytes undergo limited dedifferentiation characterized by the disassembly of their sarcomeric structure, detachment from one another and the expression of regulators of cell-cycle progression. Specifically, we show that the gene product of polo-like kinase 1 (plk1) is an essential component of cardiomyocyte proliferation during heart regeneration. Our data provide the first direct evidence for the source of proliferating cardiomyocytes during zebrafish heart regeneration and indicate that stem or progenitor cells are not significantly involved in this process.

But it doesn't stop there.

Nikos Kyritsis et al. Acute Inflammation Initiates the Regenerative Response in the Adult Zebrafish Brain.
Science 338, 1353-1356(2012).DOI:10.1126/science.1228773

Abstract​

The zebrafish regenerates its brain after injury and hence is a useful model organism to study the mechanisms enabling regenerative neurogenesis, which is poorly manifested in mammals. Yet the signaling mechanisms initiating such a regenerative response in fish are unknown. Using cerebroventricular microinjection of immunogenic particles and immunosuppression assays, we showed that inflammation is required and sufficient for enhancing the proliferation of neural progenitors and subsequent neurogenesis by activating injury-induced molecular programs that can be observed after traumatic brain injury. We also identified cysteinyl leukotriene signaling as an essential component of inflammation in the regenerative process of the adult zebrafish brain. Thus, our results demonstrate that in zebrafish, in contrast to mammals, inflammation is a positive regulator of neuronal regeneration in the central nervous system.

 

[GaryE]

There is great info out there for the curious. There is a lot of recent research on ageing based on Nothobranchius furzeri killies, an especially quick developing vertebrate. So much to learn...

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Well you know what they say? Paraphrasing-

The more you read, the more you learn.
The more you learn, the more you know.
The more you know, the more you forget.
The more you forget, the less you know.
So why read?

Well, for me, if I can retain much of it, I love finding things like I posted in this thread. I think maybe I am just curious by nature. I also find it is often the odd facts which seem to stick in memory more so than the more mundane ones.

I would bet that most of you who read this thread will remember in 20 years from now that zebras danios can regenerate their hearts and brains to some extent when they are damaged.

 

[gwand]

I have been reading research paper I search for on Google Scholar for almost 20 years now. it all started when I got curious about the bacteria involved with cycling. I regularly poke around on Scholar with no particular reason other than curiosity about something.

I have learned that there are a couple of fish which are very well studied because the can be used to research human diseases etc. Xiphophorus- especially the platys and swords have some the most in depth and complete gene maps of any species. Their pigmentation has made them a central animals for doing cancer research, especially into melanomas.

Another fish quite popular in the scientific community are zebra danios aka zebrafish (Danio rerio). And about 20 minutes ago I popped onto Google Scholar and for some reason decided to look for info in genral on zebras. And body was I amazed by what I discovered. Here are two papers that explains it better than I can.

Jopling, C., Sleep, E., Raya, M. et al. Zebrafish heart regeneration occurs by cardiomyocyte dedifferentiation and proliferation. Nature 464, 606–609 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature08899

Zebrafish heart regeneration occurs by cardiomyocyte dedifferentiation and proliferation​

Abstract​

Although mammalian hearts show almost no ability to regenerate, there is a growing initiative to determine whether existing cardiomyocytes or progenitor cells can be coaxed into eliciting a regenerative response. In contrast to mammals, several non-mammalian vertebrate species are able to regenerate their hearts1,2,3, including the zebrafish4,5, which can fully regenerate its heart after amputation of up to 20% of the ventricle. To address directly the source of newly formed cardiomyocytes during zebrafish heart regeneration, we first established a genetic strategy to trace the lineage of cardiomyocytes in the adult fish, on the basis of the Cre/lox system widely used in the mouse6. Here we use this system to show that regenerated heart muscle cells are derived from the proliferation of differentiated cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, we show that proliferating cardiomyocytes undergo limited dedifferentiation characterized by the disassembly of their sarcomeric structure, detachment from one another and the expression of regulators of cell-cycle progression. Specifically, we show that the gene product of polo-like kinase 1 (plk1) is an essential component of cardiomyocyte proliferation during heart regeneration. Our data provide the first direct evidence for the source of proliferating cardiomyocytes during zebrafish heart regeneration and indicate that stem or progenitor cells are not significantly involved in this process.

But it doesn't stop there.

Nikos Kyritsis et al. Acute Inflammation Initiates the Regenerative Response in the Adult Zebrafish Brain.
Science 338, 1353-1356(2012).DOI:10.1126/science.1228773

Abstract​

The zebrafish regenerates its brain after injury and hence is a useful model organism to study the mechanisms enabling regenerative neurogenesis, which is poorly manifested in mammals. Yet the signaling mechanisms initiating such a regenerative response in fish are unknown. Using cerebroventricular microinjection of immunogenic particles and immunosuppression assays, we showed that inflammation is required and sufficient for enhancing the proliferation of neural progenitors and subsequent neurogenesis by activating injury-induced molecular programs that can be observed after traumatic brain injury. We also identified cysteinyl leukotriene signaling as an essential component of inflammation in the regenerative process of the adult zebrafish brain. Thus, our results demonstrate that in zebrafish, in contrast to mammals, inflammation is a positive regulator of neuronal regeneration in the central nervous system.

Down the hall from my laboratory before I retired there was a zebra fish core lab facility where they constructed transgenic lines of fish for various types of studies. Eye and liver regeneration were big areas of research. Also zebra fish embryos were a great model to study chloride channel function. I worked with rodents so never used the facility.