What role of stem cells in the planaria

Question

Biology

Priscilla Knapp

1 March, 19:43

What role of stem cells in the planaria

+4

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Callie Wolfe · Answer 1

Planarian stem cells are known as neoblasts. The nature of the neoblasts and the processes that occur as regeneration is activated and carried out are still being investigated.

Explanation:

Humans also have stem cells, but to a more limited extent than planarians. The cells have a characteristic known as potency and are classified as follows:

Totipotent stem cells can produce every type of cell in the body plus the cells of the placenta.

Pluripotent cells can produce every type of cell in the body but not the cells of the placenta.

Multipotent cells can produce several types of specialized cells.

Unipotent cells can produce only one type of specialized cell.

The stem cells in planarians are pluripotent (or at least the ones that have been studied are). There are so many of them throughout the body that even a small piece of a planarian contains the cells.