Objective: Epimorphic regeneration in New Zealand rabbit ear is an interesting example of mammalian wound healing in which blastema formation is involved in replacement of injured tissues. It has been suggested that isolated cells from regenerating rabbit ear possess stemness-like properties. In this study, we aimed to determine the expression of stemness markers, OCT4 and SOX2 proteins, in regenerating rabbit tissues by immunohistochemistry. Materials and Methods: 2-3 month-old male New Zealand white rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) aged between 8 and 10 weeks were used as regenerative and non-regenerative mammalian samples, respectively. Prepared sections from rabbit pinnas on days 0, 2 and 12 and from rat ear on day 2 after punching were examined for OCT4 and SOX2 expression by immunohistochemical staining. Results: Results indicated that both proteins could be detected in epithelial cells, hair follicle cells and perichondrium cells. Expression pattern analysis of OCT4 and SOX2 proteins showed no clear differences between regenerative and non-regenerative control tissues. Conclusion: According to several reports of OCT4 and SOX2 proteins expression in adult stem cells, it could be proposed that OCT4 and SOX2 expressing cells in regenerating rabbit ear tissues are progenitor/adult stem cells which are resident in these tissues, and other markers should be used for detection of blastema cells.

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