ABSTRACT
Due to the lack of regenerative capacity of the mammalian auditory epithelium, sensory hair cell loss results in permanent hearing deficit. Nevertheless, a population of tissue resident stem/progenitor cells has been recently described. Identification of methods to trigger their activity could lead to exploitation of their potential therapeutically. Here we validate the use of transgenic mice reporting cell cycle progression (FUCCI), and stemness (Lgr5-GFP), as a valuable tool to identify regulators of cell cycle re-entry of supporting cells within the auditory epithelium. The small molecule compound CHIR99021 was used to inhibit GSK3 activity. This led to a significant increase in the fraction of proliferating sphere-forming cells, labeled by the FUCCI markers and in the percentage of Lgr5-GFP + cells, as well as a selective increase in the fraction of S-G2-M cells in the Lgr5 + population. Using whole mount cultures of the organ of Corti we detected a statistically significant increment in the fraction of proliferating Sox2 supporting cells after CHIR99021 treatment, but only rarely appearance of novel MyoVIIa +/Edu + hair cells. In conclusion, these tools provide a robust mean to identify novel regulators of auditory organ regeneration and to clarify the contribution of stem cell activity.
Subject(s)
Cell Cycle/drug effects , Cell Cycle/genetics , Cochlea/cytology , Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3/antagonists & inhibitors , Pyridines/pharmacology , Pyrimidines/pharmacology , Stem Cells/drug effects , Stem Cells/metabolism , Animals , Cell Differentiation/drug effects , Cell Proliferation/drug effects , Gene Expression , Genes, Reporter , Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3/metabolism , Hair Cells, Auditory/cytology , Hair Cells, Auditory/drug effects , Hair Cells, Auditory/metabolism , Mice , Mice, Transgenic , Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/genetics , Signal Transduction/drug effectsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Hybridization is an important evolutionary phenomenon, and therefore a detailed understanding of the dynamics of interspecific gene flow and resulting morphological and genetic patterns is of widespread interest. Here hybridization between the polyploids Cardamine pratensis and C. raphanifolia at four localities is explored. Using different types of data, the aim is to provide simultaneous and direct comparisons between genotype and phenotype variation patterns in the studied hybrid populations. METHODS: Evidence of hybridization has been gathered from morphology, molecular markers (amplified fragment length polymorphism and chloroplast DNA sequences), pollen viability, karyology and nuclear DNA content. KEY RESULTS: All data support extensive gene flow occurring in the hybrid populations. A wide range of morphological and genetic variation is observed, which includes both parental and intermediate types. Unbalanced pollen fertility and several ploidy levels are recorded. CONCLUSIONS: Incongruence reported between genotype and phenotype suggests that parental phenotypes are affected by introgression, and intermediate hybrid phenotypes can be genetically closer to one of the parents. Thus, it is evident that morphology, when used alone, can be misleading for interpreting hybridization, and critical evaluation of other data is needed.
