“These findings have potentially far-reaching implications for aquaculture,” said lead researcher Dr Rose Ruiz Daniels of the University of Stirling's Institute of Aquaculture.
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A new study by University of Stirling scientists has revealed a previously unknown population of stem cells in the skin of Atlantic salmon, offering important insights into wound healing and tissue regeneration that could help to improve fish health and reduce mortality rates in salmon farming.
The research, led by Dr Rose Ruiz Daniels at the University’s Institute of Aquaculture, identifies fibroblast-like stem cells known as mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) as key players in how salmon skin heals following an injury.
Using advanced techniques to study skin cells during healing, including single-nucleus RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics, the researchers found that these MSCs are present not only at wound sites but also in healthy salmon skin.
"We found MSCs at both the wound site and in intact skin, suggesting these adult stem cells are a stable and functional part of salmon skin, and likely to be involved in maintaining its barrier and structural properties," Ruiz Daniels explained, via a University of Stirling press release.
“These cells become more transcriptionally active during the remodelling stage of healing and show signs of differentiating into multiple tissue types including bone and fat."
“This hints at a broader regenerative capacity in fish skin than previously understood, potentially linking repair processes in the skin to those in deeper tissues like muscle, scales, and connective tissue," she added.
While MSCs are already known in mammals, the study suggests that in bony fish like salmon, these cells may have even greater ability to turn into different types of tissue. This could mean that fish heal through "more flexible cellular pathways" than land animals, the researchers suggest.
The study also mapped where different types of MSCs are located in the skin. This could help future studies find ways to improve healing, build stronger tissues, and support fish health, the resarchers said, which could prove particularly impactful for the aquaculture sector.
“These findings have potentially far-reaching implications for aquaculture,” Ruiz Daniels said. “Barrier tissue health, particularly of the skin and gills, is a major challenge in Atlantic salmon farming and a leading cause of mortality in sea cages. There is an urgent need for innovative biotechnological approaches to enhance fish health, as aquaculture also faces mounting challenges from climate change, including heightened disease risks and increased thermal uncertainties.”
The multi-authored study, "Transcriptomic Characterization of Transitioning Cell Types in the Skin of Atlantic Salmon", was a collaboration between various institutions including the University of Stirling, the Roslin Institute, Nofima, and the University of Prince Edward Island, and was published in the journal BMC Biology.