Non-parasitic flatworms called planarians readily regenerate damaged body parts by choreographing a large adult stem-cell population. Michael Levin at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, and his colleagues have identified physiological signals that control regeneration in these creatures.
The researchers inhibited these signals with chemicals that block communication between cells. The worms then regenerated heads in abnormal positions, continuing to do so even after the new heads were amputated. The team suggests that the signals enable planarians to determine a wound's location and orientation, and decide which structure to regenerate.
Understanding the mechanisms that guide stem cells in forming complex tissues in three dimensions is key to unlocking the full potential of regenerative medicine.
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Developmental biology: Heads or tails. Nature 463, 1003 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/4631003d
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/4631003d
