Differential expression of three labial genes during earthworm head regeneration.

The earthworm provides an excellent model for investigating regeneration. Here we report the full-length cloning of three labial genes (Pex-lab01, Pex-lab02, and Pex-lab03) in the earthworm Perionyx excavatus. To analyze their expression pattern during head and tail regeneration, we used the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Our results indicate that the three labial genes were expressed only in the head-regenerating tissues. Also, we found that the expression of Pex-lab01 and Pex-lab02 is up-regulated, and this indicates their involvement in wound healing and the blastema formation processes during early head regeneration.