Regeneration in Flatworms

       Scientists are not fully informed as to how organisms regenerate certain body parts. For example, flatworms can reproduce a new brain, eyes, or intestine if it is cut off or severely damaged. Scientists use flatworms as a basis of retaining information on regrowth.

       Though it is still unclear how these organisms completely regrow parts of themselves, it is true that In planarians, a type of flatworm, specialized somatic stem cells called neoblasts divide and give rise to all of the different cell types required to rebuild fully functional body parts. Old tissue remaining after amputation remodels and integrates with the new cells that are produced. Many scientists believe this can be used to help a variety of medical problems. David Forsthoefel, a postdoctoral researcher in Newmark’s laboratory and the lead author on the study, wanted to address the problem using the planarian intestine as a “model organ,” in part because so few animals are capable of repairing severe damage to their digestive systems. 
       “The ability to recover from loss of digestive tissue is rare in the animal kingdom,” Forsthoefel said. “What we learn from how a simple worm deals with gut damage might one day help us to come up with better medical therapies, for example in the treatment of short bowel syndrome, in which segments of intestine must be removed from patients with digestive diseases, leading to impaired nutrient absorption.” 

       This study from the Newmark lab acts as groundwork for the beginning fundamentals of organ regeneration. 

https://mcb.illinois.edu/news/feature/270/