The Effects of Retinoids on Regenerating Axolotl Limbs

The limbs of amphibians normally regenerate only those parts distal to the amputation plane, an observation that has been formalized as the rule of distal transformation. The basis for this rule is the inheritance by the blastema of a cellular memory of its position of origin, termed positional value. Recently, vitamin A and its derivatives (retinoids) have been found to proximalize positional value, causing duplication of stump structures in the regenerate. Positional values along the proximodistal (PD) axis are associated with a gradient of cell surface adhesivity, and retinoids have been shown to alter adhesivity and glycoconjugate composition of cell surfaces in cultured avian and mammalian cells. These two observations suggest a potential approach to a cellular and molecular analysis of positional value in regenerating limbs.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Kim, Won-Sun

• Biology, General

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(UMI)AAI8521802

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/77642