Planaria is a genus of planarians in the family Planariidae. Due to its excellent ability to regenerate, species of Planaria has also been used as model organisms in regeneration studies.[1] When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual.[2] When decapitated, they retain their memories.[3]
Currently the genus Planaria is defined as freshwater triclads with oviducts that unite to form a common oviduct without embracing the bursa copulatrix and with an adenodactyl present in the male atrium. The testes occur along the whole body.[4]
Planaria originally have habitats in dark, murky water which results in such sensitivity (Paskin et al., 2014). They are also sensitive to other stimuli such as chemical gradients, vibration, magnetic and electric fields (Deochand et al., 2018). Their central nervous system includes the anterior (head, brain and eyes) and middle (abdominal trunk and pharynx) (Deochand et al., 2018).
These invertebrates are valuable models in toxicology, neuroscience, and pharmacology, offering ethical and cost-effective alternatives to vertebrate testing. Planaria’s simple nervous system, high sensitivity to environmental changes, and well-characterized genome make them particularly useful for studying chemical toxicity, wound healing, and neuroregeneration. Their ease of maintenance in laboratory settings further enhances their appeal for research. In pharmacology and neuroscience, planaria provide a unique opportunity to study the effects of psychoactive compounds, including investigations into drug addiction and withdrawal responses[7]. In drug delivery studies, they can be used to assess the biocompatibility and potential irritancy of pharmaceutical formulations, providing insight into their effects on biological tissues[8]. Additionally, their remarkable ability to regenerate lost body parts makes them an important model for stem cell research, offering insights into cellular and molecular mechanisms of regeneration.
↑ Ball, Ian R.; Reynoldson, T. B.; Warwick, T. (2009). "The taxonomy, habitat and distribution of the freshwater triclad Planaria torva (Platyhelminthes: Turbellaria) in Britain". Journal of Zoology. 157 (1): 99–123. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1969.tb01691.x. ISSN0952-8369.
↑ Reynoldson, T. B.; Sefton, A. D. (1976). "The food of Planaria torva (Müller) (Turbellaria-Tricladida), a laboratory and field study". Freshwater Biology. 6 (4): 383–393. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2427.1976.tb01623.x. ISSN0046-5070.
↑ Reynoldson, T. B.; Piearce, Bronwen (1979). "Predation on snails by three species of triclad and its bearing on the distribution of Planaria torva in Britain". Journal of Zoology. 189 (4): 459–484. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1979.tb03974.x. ISSN0952-8369.
Deochand, N., Costello, M. S., & Deochand, M. E. (2018). Behavioral Research with Planaria. Perspectives on behavior science, 41(2), 447–464. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-018-00176-w
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