Pre-Lab: Regeneration in Planaria
Problem How potent are the stem cells in planaria?
Materials fresh water or spring water, planarians, petri dishes, glass-marking pencil, forceps, scalpel, dissecting microscope, glass microscope slide, lens paper, pipette, small paintbrush, clear ruler
Lab Manual Chapter 10 Lab
Skills Focus Form a Hypothesis, Design an Experiment, Draw Conclusions
Connect to the All cells come from existing cells. When most cells in a multicellular organism divide, they produce cells just like themselves. However, some cells can differentiate to form different types of cells. These cells enable an organism to repair tissue after an injury or in some cases to regenerate body parts. In this lab, you will investigate the ability of planarians to regenerate body parts.
Compare and Contrast What is the difference between totipotent stem cells and multipotent stem cells?
Apply Concepts What type of stem cell enables your body to produce cells, such as skin and blood cells that are constantly replaced by the body?
Apply Concepts What type of stem cell enables a salamander to regenerate its tail?
Compare and Contrast In what way is regeneration of a body part similar to asexual reproduction? In what way is it different?
Preview the procedure in the lab manual.
Apply Concepts What would you expect to observe if the stem cells in planarians are totipotent? What would you expect to observe if the stem cells are multipotent?
Control Variables What will you use as a control in your experiment? Explain why you need this control.
Infer Two planarians are cut at different locations. Regeneration occurs in one planarian, but not in the other. Based on these results, what might you infer about stem cells in planarians?
Visit Chapter 10 online to test yourself on chapter content and to find activities to help you learn.
Untamed Science Video Journey with the Untamed Science crew to a research facility in Sweden to learn why scientists are studying regeneration in brittle stars.
Visual Analogy Compare a growing cell to a growing city to understand limits on cell size.
Data Analysis Learn how to time the cell cycle by counting cells in mitosis.
Art Review Test your knowledge of the structure of a eukaryotic chromosome.
Tutor Tube Sort out chromosome structure vocabulary with this simple tutorial video.
InterActive Art See the phases of mitosis in action.
Art in Motion See what happens when cancerous cells invade normal tissue.