Stem cells in most living organisms usually take their instructions from nearby cells. However, scientists at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research have discovered that planarian stem cells behave differently. Instead of listening to signals from adjacent cells, these stem cells respond to cues coming from distant areas within the flatworm’s body.
This surprising behavior may be the key to understanding how planarians can regrow entire body parts, and it could provide valuable insights into how human tissues might one day be repaired or replaced.
The research, published in Cell Reports on October 15, 2025, was led by Postdoctoral Research Associate Frederick “Biff” Mann, Ph.D., from the laboratory of Stowers President and Chief Scientific Officer Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado, Ph.D. The study challenges the long-held idea that most stem cells occupy a fixed location known as a niche, where neighboring cells direct their division, renewal, and specialization.
To read more, click here.