Pomacea canaliculata eye: a new system to study full camera-type eye regeneration [embryonic development time-course]

Eyes are complex, delicate sensory organs that can be irreversibly damaged by disease or aging. Finding solutions to repair eyes has been difficult because no animal model has been available to study the complete regeneration of a camera-type eye. To study camera-type eye regeneration we can study partial or limited regeneration in vertebrates or complete regeneration of different types of eyes with simpler structure in animals with higher regenerative potential. I discovered an invertebrate organism, the freshwater apple snail Pomacea canaliculata, with camera-type eyes, yet capable of full regeneration after complete amputation. After cellular and molecular study of P. canaliculata eye and their regeneration dynamic, we developed tools to edit genes and test their functions. We found that, like in humans, eye development in these animals is controlled by the expression of the gene pax6. It is now possible to unravel the genetic basis of camera-type eye regeneration, which may provide new opportunities for therapeutic interventions. This work represents the foundation to use P. canaliculata as a valuable research system in the field of regeneration, not only to bring more knowledge about complex organs regeneration, but also to shed light, for the first time, on the process of complete camera-type eye regeneration. Overall design: Pomacea canaliculata embryonic development time-course containing Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 5, Stage 6, Stage 7, Stage 8, Stage 9, Stage 10 and hatchling animals.

眼睛是复杂且精密的感觉器官，可因疾病或衰老遭受不可逆损伤。此前眼部修复相关解决方案的开发始终举步维艰，原因在于尚无合适的动物模型可用于研究照相机式眼（camera-type eye）的完全再生过程。若要探究照相机式眼的再生机制，可通过两类路径开展研究：一是研究脊椎动物眼部的部分或有限再生过程，二是研究再生潜能更强的动物体内结构更简易的不同类型眼睛的完全再生。本研究发现一种无脊椎动物——福寿螺（Pomacea canaliculata），其拥有照相机式眼，且在完全切除后可实现完整再生。在对福寿螺的眼部结构及其再生动态开展细胞与分子层面的研究后，我们开发了基因编辑工具并可用于验证基因功能。我们发现，与人类相似，该物种的眼部发育同样受配对盒6基因（pax6）的表达调控。如今我们得以阐明照相机式眼完全再生的遗传基础，这或将为眼部治疗干预提供全新的机遇与方向。本研究确立了将福寿螺（Pomacea canaliculata）作为再生研究领域极具价值的实验体系的基础，不仅可为复杂器官再生领域积累更多认知，更首次为阐明照相机式眼的完全再生过程提供了可行路径。
实验整体设计：涵盖第2期至第10期胚胎以及孵化个体的福寿螺胚胎发育时间序列样本。