Dresden 2026 – wissenschaftliches Programm
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 7: Poster Session I
BP 7.53: Poster
Montag, 9. März 2026, 15:00–17:00, P5
Mechanics of spinal cord regeneration in Xenopus laevis — •Maria Tarczewska1,2 and Kristian Franze1,2,3 — 1Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany — 2Medical Institute of Biophysics, Friedrich-Alexander- Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. — 3Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
In mammals, spinal cord injury (SCI) often leads to paralysis due to the limited regeneration of damaged neurons in the central nervous system (CNS). The African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) can regenerate CNS neurons during its early life stages - pre-metamorphosis. However, this ability is lost post-metamorphosis, in frogs adult form. Biochemical differences between pre- and post-metamorphosis frog spinal cord tissue identified so far cannot fully explain the differences in their regenerative capacity, suggesting that other signals may contribute to the regeneration. Following SCI, the composition of the extracellular matrix changes, and scar tissue forms. In mammals, this scar tissue, which is softer than healthy tissue, inhibits axon regeneration. In zebrafish, whose CNS neurons regenerate after SCI, tissue stiffens after injury. Mechanical properties of frog spinal cord tissue have not been measured yet. Because mechanosensing of tissue stiffness is critical for axon growth, we test the hypothesis that tissue stiffness is a critical factor in axon regeneration after SCI. We investigate the mechanical differences in the SCI lesion environment in Xenopus. By examining both tissue stiffness and molecular changes, we will illuminate the relationship between these factors and the regenerative capabilities.
Keywords: regeneration; spinal cord injury; atomic force microscopy; central nervous system