Expression of Insulin-Like Growth Factor in the Planarian
Planarians are known for their ability to regenerate tissues with the use of stem cells, which are called neoblasts. Neoblasts generate 30-40 different cell types in the planarians; they are the basis for regeneration in these animals. Neoblasts also continue to reproduce while migrating to blastema. RNA interference (RNAi) is the technology we use to identify functions of genes involved in regeneration. Three insulin protein receptors have been identified in the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea, however, the function of insulin in planarians is not yet known. Using riboprobe PL0501B2-B04 from the EST library, in situ hybridization was conducted to determine the cell type in which this insulin-like growth factor is expressed. The gene was found to be expressed throughout the planarians central nervous system. NCBI megablast located overlapping sequences for the insulin genes which were retrieved for the NCBI trace archive. The traces were assembled using PCR. Gene transformation into PPR242 plasmid completed RNAi construction. Using RNAi to inhibit the insulin gene, the function of this gene in planarians will be determined. The discovery of the function of this gene will be monumental to determining growth factors and metabolism in planarians.
School:
Grambling State University
Department:
Biological Sciences
Research Advisor:
Phillip Newmark
Department of Research Advisor:
Cell and Structural Biology
Year of Publication:
2006