# Allorecognition, parasitic stem cells and regeneration in a basal chordate

> **NIH NIH R35** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA · 2021 · $371,014

## Abstract

Abstract
Our lab works at the intersection of immunology, stem cell biology and regeneration, and the grants
funding this work (GM123267 and GM 123255) which we are requesting to merge in the MIRA program
have provided numerous insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying both self/non-self
recognition, as well as a genetically determined cell competition event that occurs between mobile
germline stem cells for niche occupancy. In addition, we have recently found that these same germline
stem cells, which are lineage restricted under normal conditions, are responsible for a regenerative
response to injury called Whole Body Regeneration, during which entire bodies, including all
cardiovascular, GI, central and peripheral nervous, endocrine and germline tissues are regenerated de
novo from isolated vascular fragments, and we propose to extend our research efforts into this robust
model system of chordate regeneration. As described in the proposal, in the last 18 months, these
studies have led to a number of exciting findings we will follow-up on during the upcoming funding
period, including: dissecting the molecular basis for allorecognition specificity and its conservation with
vertebrate immunity; a novel mechanism of autocrine stimulation that is required for homing of germline
stem cells and likely plays a role in the competitive phenotype; and rescue and lineage tracing assays
for whole body regeneration that have revealed that a single germline stem cell can give rise to an
entire body- a result which may have major implications for understanding germ cell tumors, and also
provides a unique opportunity for rapidly creating genetically modified lines of Botryllus. Our long-term
goals are to utilize the unique biological properties of Botryllus to carry out innovative molecular
mechanistic studies, and a MIRA award would allow us to redirect our efforts from funding to carrying
out more and better innovative research on these biomedically important topics.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10086685
- **Project number:** 1R35GM139649-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA
- **Principal Investigator:** Anthony W De Tomaso
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $371,014
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-01-01 → 2025-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10086685

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10086685, Allorecognition, parasitic stem cells and regeneration in a basal chordate (1R35GM139649-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10086685. Licensed CC0.

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