Local control of cellular proliferation underlies neuromast regeneration in zebrafish
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Biological systems are never in equilibrium, yet they maintain stability in the face of continuous external disturbances. A prime example of this is organ regeneration, during which organs are reliably rebuilt through controlled cellular proliferation. In this study, we employ a cell-based computational modelling approach to investigate the proliferative response of an organ after injury. We developed a minimal two-dimensional Cellular Potts Model (CPM) using empirical data from regenerating neuromasts in larval zebrafish. Remarkably, the CPM both qualitatively and quantitatively recapitulates the regenerative response of neuromasts following laser-mediated cell ablation. Assuming that cell proliferation is locally regulated by a delayed switch, we discovered that mitotic activity ceases once the type-dependent number of neighbouring cells exceeds a deterministic critical threshold. An intriguing corollary of our findings is that a local negative feedback loop among identical cells may represent a general mechanism underlying organ-level proportional homeostasis.
Source: Journal of Theoretical Biology
Institutions: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto de Fisica de Liquidos y Sistemas Biologicos, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior – caesar, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, New York University Abu Dhabi, University of Nottingham, Universidad Argentina de la Empresa
Language: English
Subfield: Cell Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,550
Funders: New York University Abu Dhabi, Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Agencia Nacional de Promoción de la Investigación, el Desarrollo Tecnológico y la Innovación, Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica, Fondo para la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, HORIZON EUROPE Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions
OpenAlex ID: W7126041293