The use of the tunicate Ciona intestinalis as a model system to study the relationship between regeneration and aging is reviewed. Ciona has powerful regeneration capacities, which fade with age. Some additional benefits are a relatively short life span, the ability to study regeneration in vitro, the close phylogenetic relationship between tunicates and vertebrates, and the host of molecular tools already established in this system. The neural complex (NC), the oral siphon (OS), and the oral siphon pigment organs (OPO) have high capacities for regeneration. However, these organs show an inverse relationship between rate of regeneration and age. The ability to regenerate a complete OS disappears in the oldest animals of a natural population, probably due to the inability to form a blastema at the wound site. Effects on blastema formation could also be involved in the reduction of NC regeneration capacity. The fidelity of OPO restoration is also compromised by excess differentiation of precursor cells in local siphon niches in the oldest animals. The Ciona model provides a pathway to understand the molecular basis of these phenomena.

中文翻译：

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The tunicateCiona：理解再生与衰老之间关系的模型系统

回顾了使用被囊类动物 Ciona 肠道作为模型系统来研究再生与衰老之间的关系。Ciona 具有强大的再生能力，随着年龄的增长会逐渐消退。一些额外的好处是相对较短的寿命、体外研究再生的能力、被囊类动物和脊椎动物之间的密切系统发育关系，以及该系统中已经建立的大量分子工具。神经复合体 (NC)、口腔虹吸管 (OS) 和口腔虹吸管色素器官 (OPO) 具有很高的再生能力。然而，这些器官在再生率和年龄之间显示出反比关系。在自然种群中最古老的动物中，再生完整 OS 的能力消失了，这可能是由于无法在伤口部位形成胚芽。对胚芽形成的影响也可能与 NC 再生能力的降低有关。OPO 恢复的保真度也受到最古老动物局部虹吸壁龛中前体细胞过度分化的影响。Ciona 模型提供了理解这些现象的分子基础的途径。