ORCID

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6086-6434

Date of Award

Winter 12-15-2022

Author's School

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Author's Department

Biology & Biomedical Sciences (Molecular Genetics & Genomics)

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Type

Dissertation

Abstract

Humans are incapable of complex body structure regeneration. Understanding how other species retain the ability to regenerate can help us to find solutions for improving our regenerative capacities. The zebrafish is an organism that is capable of regenerating multiple organs in its body. Using zebrafish as a model organism, previous studies have identified key processes and illustrated the crucial cell types and genes for regeneration. In caudal fin specifically, blastema formation is a key predictor of successful regeneration. However, a comprehensive molecular understanding of cell type-specific contributions to this process is lacking. In this dissertation, I present our efforts toward providing a holistic view of blastema formation in zebrafish caudal fin regeneration. Using single-cell transcriptome and epigenome profiling, I charted regeneration response in multiple cell types and found a putative regulatory network guiding cell state transition and cell-cell interactions during the blastema formation process. This work provides a single-cell level perspective to the general understanding of regeneration and serves as a resource for functional characterization targeting key genes and regulatory genomic regions in individual populations involved in regeneration responses.

人类无法再生复杂身体结构，而自然界中很多其他物种可以。理解他们如何实现再生有助于我们找到提高自身再生能力的途径。在这些物种中，斑马鱼可以再生多种身体器官。前人利用斑马鱼作为模式生物发现了再生过程中的重要步骤，以及细胞和基因水平上的重要参与者。以尾鳍再生为例，前人发现再生胚芽（blastema）的形成是完成再生的关键。但是对于这一过程中不同细胞类群参与再生的分子机理尚无系统地描述。在本篇学位论文中，我将呈现了我们为系统性描述斑马鱼尾鳍再生做出的尝试。利用单细胞转录组和表冠遗传组学技术，我描绘了再生过程中不同类群细胞的反应，并推定了潜在的调控机制以解释再生胚芽形成过程中的细胞状态迁移以及细胞与细胞相互作用。这一工作从单细胞层面揭示了再生过程机制，并为接下来的针对单一细胞类群在再生过程中的功能性验证提供了丰富的目标分子。

Language

English (en)

Chair and Committee

Ting Wang

Committee Members

John Edwards

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