Recent Trends in Regeneration Research

Regeneration, i.e. the replacement of lost body parts by new outgrowths or by remodelling existing tissues, has been studied for centuries. However, in recent years important developments took place in this field too, owing to new soph­ isticated techniques and to novel theoretical concepts. Advances in Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, Cell and Neurobiology, Immunology, to mention a few of them, are the main causes of this resurgence of interest in regeneration. As a consequence, more and more meetings and pUblications are devoted, either exclusively or for a large part, to basic and applied research of regenerative processes. "Regeneration­ ists" scattered in laboratories allover the world and accus­ tomed to know each other through exchange of reprints - occa­ sionally an encounter in a large conference - tend now to form small groups, even societies and to institutionalize their meetings. Although the critical mass of scientists involved in regeneration research does not seem yet to be reached, for an autonomous development of this sector, regular and frequent meetings of experts appear useful, even necessary. Such a meeting was convened in Saronis, near Athens, Greece, from 19 to 23 September 1988 and sponsored by the NATO Science Committee and the University of Athens. The present volume contains the contributions to this Advanced Research Workshop on "Recent Trends in Regeneration Research". About 50 biologists from different countries, either mem­ bers of the Alliance or outside it (U.R.S.S., India, Egypt, Switzerland, Sweden) took part, mostly as invited speakers.

Inhalt

An Overview of the Historical Origin of the Nerve Influence on Limb Regeneration.- Gene Expression.- Identification of a Homeobox Gene and a Keratin Pair Expressed in Amphibian Limb Regeneration.- An Examination of Heat-Shock and Trauma-Induced Proteins in the Regenerating Forelimb of the Newt, Notophthalmus viridescens.- c-Myc Proto-Oncogene Expression During Newt Limb Regeneration.- Expression of the WE3 Antigen in the Newt Wound Epithelium.- Commentary.- Cellular Aspects.- How Many Populations of Cells Occur in the Mesenchymal Blastema?.- Protein Kinase C Activity During Limb Regeneration of Amphibians.- Production of Growth Factors by the Blastema During Limb Regeneration of Urodeles (Amphibia).- Second Messengers in Newt Limb Regeneration: cAMP and cGMP Levels and Distribution.- Epimorphic Regeneration and the Immune System.- Immune System and Regeneration.- Dependence of Erythroblast Proliferation and Differentiation Manner in Mice Hemopoietic Tissue Regeneration on Lymphoid-Macrophagal System Cells.- Insulin Localization in the Pancreas and in Forelimb Regenerates of the Adult Newt Notophthalmus viridescens.- Lens and Limb Regeneration in Amphibia Under the Spaceflight Conditions.- In Vitro Effects of a Mitogenic Factor on Xenopus laevis Forelimb Regeneration.- Commentary.- Muscle.- Some Aspects of Regeneration in Skeletal and Cardiac Muscle.- Image Analysis of Proliferation and Fusion in Cultured Satellite Cells.- Regeneration of Skeletal Muscle Fibers by In Vitro Multiplied Autologous Satellite Cells.- In Vitro Potentialities of Myogenic Cells Isolated from Adult Urodele Muscles.- Commentary.- Mechanisms Controlling Directed Axon Regeneration in the Peripheral and Central Nervous Systems of Amphibians.- Response of Amputated Xenopus laevis Forelimbs to Augmentation of the Nerve Supply.- Neural Influence on the Extracellular Matrix During Blastema Formation.- Effects of Denervation on the Extracellular Collagen Matrix of Limb Regenerate of the Newt Pleurodeles waltlii.- A Quantitative Study of Innervation in Newt Multiple Limbs: Nerve Fiber Counts in Multiple Limbs Produced from Either Limb Buds or Mature Regenerating Limbs.- The Origins of Spinal Ganglia in the Amphibian Tail.- The Role of Nerves in Accessory Limb Development.- Rapid Neuronal and Glial Changes in the Phrenic Nucleus Following Spinal Cord Injury: A Possible Morphological Basis for the Unmasking of Functionally Ineffective Synapses.- Mechanisms of Transdifferentiation of Pigment Epithelial Cells Into Neural Retina: A Hypothesis.- Regeneration of the Central Nervous System of the Ascidian Ciona intestinalis.- Neuropeptides Control Regeneration in Planarians.- Commentary.- The Use of Retinoids to Explore the Cellular and Molecular Basis of Positional Memory in Regenerating Amphibian Limbs.- Biochemical Pathways Involved in the Respecification of Pattern by Retinoic Acid.- Survey of Research Work on the Regeneration of Triturus alpestris Forelimbs Treated with Vitamin A Palmitate.- Effects of Vitamin A on Limb Regeneration in the Larval Axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum.- Vitamin A Effect on Limb Regeneration: Studies on the Tadpoles of Anuran Amphibians.- Commentary.- Pattern Formation.- Position-Dependent Growth Control and Pattern Formation in Limb Regeneration.- Supernumerary Limbs Developing After Small Angle Dislocations of the Limb Bud of the Newt.- Experimental Analysis of Intercalary Limb Regeneration Capacity in Urodeles.- Forelimb Regeneration in Reference with Hindlimb Regeneration in Stages of the Egyptian Toad, Bufo reqularis (Reuss).- Experimental Analysis of Mouse Limb Development in situ.- Regeneration and Morphogenesis.- Pattern Regeneration in an Insect Segment.- Regeneration and Morphogenesis in the Feather Star Arm.- Intercalary Regeneration and Supernumerary Limbs After Proximal or Distal Transposition of the Developing Limb Bud of the Anuran Bufo bufo in Contralateral Transplantations.- Digit Regeneration in Triturus cristatus After Pattern Transforming Interventions.- Ontogenesis and Regeneration of Embryonic Hindlimb Bud of Anuran Amphibian (Bufo) After Transplantation on the Tadpole Tail.- The Effects of 4-Nitroquinoline-N-Oxide (4NQO) at Different Stages of Triturus limb Regeneration.- Commentary.- General Discussion.- Author Index.