Model systems for regeneration: the spiny mouse, Acomys cahirinus

Abstract

The spiny mouse, Acomys spp., is a recently described model organism for regeneration studies. For a mammal, it displays surprising powers of regeneration because it does not fibrose (i.e. scar) in response to tissue injury as most other mammals, including humans, do. In this Primer article, we review these regenerative abilities, highlighting the phylogenetic position of the spiny mouse relative to other rodents. We also briefly describe the Acomys tissues that have been used for regeneration studies and the common features of their regeneration compared with the typical mammalian response. Finally, we discuss the contribution that Acomys has made in understanding the general principles of regeneration and elaborate hypotheses as to why this mammal is successful at regenerating.

Keywords: Acomys; Fibrosis; Scarring; Spiny mouse; Tissue regeneration.

Fig. 1.

Phylogeny and phenotype of Acomys. Phylogenetic position of the genus Acomys among the 15 sub-families of the family Muridae. There are four genera including Acomys in the sub-family Deomyinae, the closest relatives of which are the gerbils. Adapted from Steppan and Schenk, 2017.

Fig. 2.

Hair colour and development in Acomys. Images of the hair colour at three stages of development of Acomys cahirinus viewed from the side (top row) and from above (bottom row). Pups (left column) are born with grey hairs; the golden spiny hairs first begin to appear on the caudal dorsum as sexual maturity approaches (middle column), spreading completely over the dorsum by adulthood (right column). See Jiang et al. (2019) for details on different hair types and their development.

Fig. 3.

Tissue and organ regeneration in Acomys. Schematic of Acomys cahirinus highlighting the tissue types that can regenerate as well as the methods that have been used to investigate them.