Experts at Nottingham University have been examining how two species of flatworms are able to regenerate themselves again and again – raising hopes that scientists could find ways of alleviating the effects of ageing in human cells.
Flatworms, known as planarian worms, have long fascinated scientists with their apparently limitless ability to regenerate.
During the study 20,000 new and fully-formed flatworms were created from just one original worm by splitting it into tiny pieces.
The research team studied how the flatworms manage to replace aged or damaged tissues and cells in a bid to understand what drives their longevity.Dr Aziz Aboobaker, who led the study, said: “We’ve been studying two types of planarian worms; those that reproduce sexually, like us, and those that reproduce asexually, simply dividing in two.
“Both appear to regenerate indefinitely by growing new muscles, skin, guts and even entire brains over and over again.
Read on: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/why-flatworms-may-hold-the-secret-to-immortality.html
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