An evolutionary trade-off gives only some planarians regenerative abilities
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Planarians, a type of flatworm known for their distinctive cross-eyed appearance, may face a trade-off between regeneration and reproduction. Researchers have found that different species of planarians have the ability to either regrow lost body parts or produce eggs, depending on the activation of a specific gene signalling pathway. This discovery sheds light on the age-old question of why some animals can regenerate while others cannot.
The relationship between regeneration and reproduction in planarians has long puzzled scientists. According to Jochen Rink, a regeneration expert at sciencewithrv, this is a longstanding question in the field of regeneration research.
