β-catenin Dynamics in Regenerating Hydra
Body axis specification is essential for morphogenesis, yet how axial patterning is dynamically coordinated remains unclear. In Hydra, Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling is central to axial patterning, but its spatiotemporal dynamics are not well understood. Since nuclear {beta}-catenin mediates Wnt-dependent transcription, its localization provides a relevant readout for pathway dynamics. Here, we…
The regulation of body axis specification during Hydra regeneration remains incompletely understood. Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling plays a critical role in axial patterning, yet its dynamic processes are not fully elucidated. Nuclear {beta}-catenin, which mediates Wnt-dependent transcription, serves as a useful indicator of pathway dynamics.
In this study, researchers monitored {beta}-catenin abundance and nuclear localization in live Hydra specimens during regeneration from bisected bodies, tissue rings, and small tissue fragments. Upon bisection, nuclear {beta}-catenin was exclusively observed at the regenerating oral end, where a broad signal initially appeared and subsequently diminished before concentrating at the future head region.
Similarly, tissue rings, which lack both head and foot structures, displayed analogous oral-aboral asymmetry in {beta}-catenin distribution. In regenerating tissue fragments, the initial response frequently encompassed a vast portion of the tissue, including the future foot region, followed by a secondary peak before settling at the future head position.
Overall, these findings indicate that the spatial confinement of nuclear {beta}-catenin correlates closely with the divergence of regenerative dynamics towards head or foot development, while the pathways leading to these outcomes can differ depending on the initial tissue configuration.
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