Cataracts can cause blindness and affects mostly older individuals. Traditionally, treatment for cataracts is an invasive ophthalmological procedure in which the lens of the eye is replaced by a physician. However, exploration of regeneration-competent vertebrates, such as the newt Pleurodeles waltl (P. waltl) has offered exciting models to study natural, in vivo lens regeneration. Regarded as ‘champions of regeneration,’ newts possess the remarkable ability to regenerate several organ tissues including the brain, heart, limbs, and the eye. Our lab seeks to investigate the mechanisms that drive lens regeneration in P. waltl. This project focuses on characterizing the morphology and kinetics of lens regeneration at different stages of development. SD-OCT technology, combined with traditional methods such as immunohistochemistry and histology were used. Our results show that compared to juveniles and adults, the regeneration process begins sooner and accelerates faster in larvae. OCT allowed us to quantify the volume of the regenerated lens and illustrate key timepoints of regeneration using 3D models. Furthermore, the staining of extracellular matrix (ECM) using picrosirius red stains suggest that ECM degradation might be associated with growing of the new lens. In humans and other regeneration-incompetent species, ECM accumulation is a common process observed after an injury that causes scar formation rather than regeneration. Thus, further insights into the role of ECM remodeling during regeneration may provide clues to answering the age-old question of tissue regeneration in humans. As an aspiring physician-scientist, being a part of this project has let me explore passions and attempt to answer questions that could contribute to a larger understanding of the mechanisms behind regeneration. One day, I hope that our work can be used to help treat patients with cataracts, or similar blinding conditions.
Author(s): Lake Ernst, Biology and Premedical Studies Major
Advisor(s): Katia Del Rio-Tsonis, Department of Biology José Raúl Pérez-Estrada, Department of Biology
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