Revealing the in vivo process of newt lens regeneration with OCT and OCTA

Abstract

Newts have a remarkable ability to regrow organs, providing key insights into the mechanisms of tissue regeneration. Lens regeneration in newts only initiates from the dorsal iris, and the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Understanding this process is critical for triggering non-competent adult tissues to support somatic cellular plasticity. Studies have focused on the difference in morphological and genetic variations between dorsal and ventral iris during the lens regeneration process using endpoint ex vivo tissue imaging and analysis, however, lens regeneration is a dynamic process. Therefore, this study aims to characterize the lens regeneration process in vivo with OCT and OCTA to non-invasively visualize the morphological variation of the anterior chamber and vasculature injury responses in the iris. Our results demonstrate that OCT is an ideal platform for in vivo monitoring lens regeneration in newts and provides a dynamic insight into this process.