Gecko CD59 Is Implicated in Proximodistal Identity during Tail Regeneration

This study investigates how geckos can regrow their tails after amputation. Researchers focused on a molecule called CD59, found in geckos, to understand its role in tail regeneration. The study found that CD59 helps determine the position of cells in the regrowing tail, specifically along the proximodistal (PD) axis, which runs from the base to the tip of the tail. Experiments showed that CD59 influences how cells organize and differentiate during tail regeneration, acting as a determinant of cell identity along the tail's length.

• 1
  CD59 transcripts display a graded expression in the adult gecko spinal cord with the highest level in the anterior segment, with a stable expression along the normal tail.
• 2
  After tail amputation, CD59 transcripts in the spinal cord proximal to the injury sites increased markedly at 1 day and 2 weeks.
• 3
  Overexpression of the CD59 during tail regeneration causes distal blastemal cells to translocate to a more proximal location.