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News Release 06-112
Flatworms at Forefront of Regeneration Research
Scientists identify gene required for flatworms to maintain their stem cells
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Freshwater flatworms, called planaria, possess extraordinary regenerative capabilities by virtue of a population of stem cells they maintain throughout their lives. Researchers recently identified a key gene that maintains planarian stem cells.
Credit: Ricardo Zayas and Phillip Newmark, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign