Expression of Wnt Genes in Echinaster Sepositus Arm Regeneration

The study focused on the expression of Wnt genes, specifically EsWnt1 and EsWnt4, during arm regeneration in the red starfish Echinaster sepositus. It was found that EsWnt1 and EsWnt4 were expressed early after amputation, with EsWnt4 decreasing after 72 hours and disappearing by the first week, then reappearing at high levels after 7 weeks. EsWnt1 showed late expression starting at the 4th week and remained at low levels until the 7th week. These expression patterns suggested that these genes were involved in wound healing, cell migration, myogenesis, and establishing antero-posterior polarity, supporting the role of Wnt signaling pathways in embryogenesis and adult regeneration.