A CEITEC BUT student has mapped the distribution of cells in the development of salamander‘s limbs

The regeneration capability of salamanders and other amphibians has been described by scientists long time ago, and it is generally known that if this animal loses a limb, it will sprout a new one. What we do not know is how this mechanism works in nature. An important step to clarify the regeneration mechanism is to observe the geometry of the skeletal and muscle structures of the salamander during its growth and development. Marketa Tesarova, the PhD student at the X-ray Laboratory of Microscopy and Nanotomography at CEITEC BUT, has been working on this topic together with biologists from the Karolinska Institutet for over two years. The aim of her research is to visualize, quantify and analyze the different structures of the musculoskeletal system of the salmon at the level of cellular resolution in a three-dimensional view. The results of her work have been published in the prestigious journal Scientific Reports.

This scientific work describes the use of X-ray computer tomography with a synchrotron radiation source for observation of 3D distribution of cells in salamander tissues (Pleurodeles waltl), a model organism for studying regeneration capabilities of vertebrates during their development. Using the tomographic approach, cell polarity has also been studied in relation to the developing joints of the model. Displaying these structures in 3D makes the first step to a chance to cure injuries or illnesses which are accompanied by dying of a certain type of cells in the body.