Spatial Transcriptomics Reveals Asymmetric Cellular Responses to Injury in the Regenerating Spiny Mouse Ear

The study "Spatial transcriptomics reveals asymmetric cellular responses to injury in the regenerating spiny mouse (Acomys) ear" investigates the unique regenerative abilities of the spiny mouse, which can regenerate skin and ear tissue, including hair follicles, glands, and cartilage, without scarring. The researchers found that regeneration is asymmetric, with only the proximal wound side participating. They used spatially resolved transcriptomics (tomo-seq) to analyze gene expression across the ear and found asymmetric gene expression patterns. By comparing these patterns with nonregenerative rodents, they hypothesize that differences in the injury-induced immune response may be a key factor in the spiny mouse's regenerative abilities. The data from this study is available in SpinyMine, a web-based tool for exploring Acomys regeneration-associated gene expression.