Many regeneration processes in animals are based on the phenomenon of cell reprogramming followed by proliferation and differentiation in a different specialization direction. An insight into what makes natural (in vivo) cell reprogramming possible can help to solve a number of biomedical problems. In particular, the first problem is to reveal the intrinsic properties of the cells that are necessary and sufficient for reprogramming; the second, to evaluate these properties and, on this basis, to reveal potential endogenous sources for cell substitution in damaged tissues; and the third, to use the acquired data for developing approaches to in vitro cell reprogramming in order to obtain a cell reserve for damaged tissue repair. Normal cells of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in newts (Urodela) can change their specialization and transform into retinal neurons and ganglion cells (i.e., actualize their retinogenic potential). Therefore, they can serve as a model that provides the possibility to identify factors of the initial competence of vertebrate cells for reprogramming in vivo. This review deals mainly with the endogenous properties of native newt RPE cells themselves and, to a lesser extent, with exogenous mechanisms regulating the process of reprogramming, which are actively discussed.

The results of molecular-genetic mechanisms of regeneration in amphibians are reviewed. Based on the examples of traditional and well-studied models of the restoration of the retinas and lenses of...

Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells that have the unique ability to reprogram retinal cells in vivo were analyzed in the adult newt. Our own data and that available in the literature on the peculiarities of the biology of these cells (from morphology to molecular profile, which can be associated with the capability of phenotype change) were summarized. It was established that the molecular traits of specialized and poorly differentiated cells are combined in RPE of the adult newt. It was registered that persistent (at a low level) proliferation and rapid change of specific cytoskeleton proteins can contribute to the success of RPE cell reprogramming in the neuronal direction. Each of the considered factors of competence for reprogramming can be found for animal RPE, whose cells are not able in vivo to change the phenotype to a neuronal one; however, their totality (supported by the epigenetic state permissive for conversion) is probably an internal property of only newt RPE.

Expression of genes and heat shock proteins in normal intact retina of the Spanish Ribbed Newt Pleurodeles waltlwas studied using polymerase chain reaction, Western blot hybridization, and...