Carlos J. Acevedo Figueroa (2024-2026)

The ability to regenerate nervous system structures is a rare and valuable trait in the animal kingdom. Among the organisms capable of such regeneration, the sea cucumber Holothuria glaberrima has emerged as a powerful model due to its close phylogenetic relationship with chordates and its remarkable ability to fully regenerate its central nervous system (CNS). While previous research has documented the cellular response following CNS injury in H. glaberrima, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process remain poorly understood.Understanding the gene expression dynamics during different stages of regeneration is crucial to unraveling the molecular machinery that drives neural regeneration. RNA sequencing analyses have identified key genes—PAX6, Prominin, and SOXC—as being involved in the regeneration of the radial nerve cord (RNC), the primary CNS structure of the sea cucumber. However, the specific cell populations that express these genes, as well as their role in different phases of regeneration, remain largely unknown. This project aims to bridge this gap by characterizing the spatial and temporal expression of these genes in normal and regenerating nerve tissue.