Andras Simon, PhD
Natural examples of regeneration, such as salamanders, may unravel novel strategies for cell replacement of damaged or lost tissues. We study regeneration mechanisms in an aquatic salamander, the newt, which has the widest repertoire of regenerative abilities among adult vertebrates.
Our group has two main interests.
The first dimension of our research is to understand how skeletal muscle contributes to new tissues during limb regeneration. We have identified a multipotent stem cell population in salamander skeletal muscle and we try to understand how these cells take part in limb regeneration. Salamander skeletal muscle may also undergo a unique dedifferentiation process during limb regeneration, and we aim to reveal the mechanisms underlying skeletal muscle dedifferentiation.
The second dimension of our research is to reveal how brain regeneration can take place. Here we focus at neurogenesis/regeneration of adult dopaminergic neurons in a salamander model of Parkinsons disease. The role of GFAP expressing neural stem cells is currently in the focus of our research and we aim to understand how these are activated in the early phases of dopaminergic regeneration.
Five Selected Publications
Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurogenesis and Behavioral Recovery in a Salamander Lesion-Induced Regeneration Model.
Development, 2007, 134(15):2881-7
Plasticity of mammalian myotubes upon stimulation with a thrombin-activated serum factor.
Cell Cycle, 2007, 6(9):1096-101
Targeted gene delivery to differentiated skeletal muscle: A tool to study dedifferentiation.
Dev Dyn. 2007 Feb;236(2):481-8.
Salamander limb regeneration involves the activation of a multipotent skeletal muscle satellite cell population.
J Cell Biol. 2006 Jan 30;172(3):433-40.
Mammalian postmitotic nuclei reenter the cell cycle after serum stimulation in newt/mouse hybrid myotubes.
Curr Biol. 2001 Jun 5;11(11):855-8.
- Address:
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Dept of Cell and Molecular Biology(CMB)
Karolinska Institutet
P.O. Box 285
SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
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Dept of Cell and Molecular Biology(CMB)
