Planarian Regeneration: A Laboratory Guide to Studying Stem Cells

Planarian regeneration research provides a practical entry point for studying stem cell biology, tissue patterning, and the molecular control of whole-body regeneration. This guide covers the laboratory methods, experimental controls, and data interpretation approaches used in planarian regeneration studies, with emphasis on the model species Schmidtea mediterranea and Dugesia japonica. The content is written for students, researchers, and life-science professionals who need concrete protocols and decision points for designing and executing regeneration experiments.

At a Glance

Planarians are freshwater flatworms from the order Tricladida that maintain abundant adult stem cells called neoblasts. These cells support continuous tissue turnover and enable complete regeneration of any amputated body part. The table below summarizes the core experimental decisions for a typical regeneration study.

Model Organisms and Their Selection

The choice of planarian species shapes every downstream decision in a regeneration experiment. Schmidtea mediterranea has become the dominant laboratory model because of its diploid genetics, established molecular tools, and sequenced genome. The species was described and introduced to the research community during the late 20th century, when quantitative cellular approaches to regeneration, growth, and degrowth established neoblasts as a heterogeneous population of mitotic and non-mitotic cells responsible for homeostatic somatic cell renewal, reproduction, and blastema formation 4. This historical foundation supports the extensive resources now available for S. mediterranea.

Dugesia japonica offers complementary advantages. This species is widely used in pharmacological studies because of its robust regeneration and tolerance for laboratory manipulation. Researchers have developed pharmacological and functional genetic assays to manipulate regeneration in D. japonica, including methods for drug delivery and gene knockdown 22. The species also shows interesting reproductive biology, with populations that switch between asexual and sexual reproduction on an annual cycle even under constant laboratory conditions 10. This reproductive plasticity can affect experimental design if you are studying regeneration in sexually reproducing individuals.

Girardia dorotocephala has been used for behavioral and pharmacological characterization of nociception, making it suitable for studies that link regeneration to nervous system function 15. The species displays distinct behavioral responses to noxious stimuli, which can serve as functional readouts in regeneration experiments.

For comparative studies, PlanMine provides a mineable resource of planarian biology and biodiversity, housing transcriptomes from multiple species along with expert-curated biological information and cross-species sequence homologies 8. This resource supports interspecies comparisons of regenerative abilities, tissue turnover rates, and reproductive strategies.

Laboratory Culture and Maintenance

Successful regeneration experiments depend on healthy, well-fed animals. Planarians are cultured in freshwater medium and fed protein-rich food sources such as liver or egg yolk. The specific culture protocol affects animal health, growth rates, and regeneration outcomes 24.

Water Quality and Temperature

Planarians require clean, dechlorinated water with appropriate ionic composition. Many laboratories use artificial freshwater or filtered natural water. Temperature should be maintained in the range that supports normal physiology for the species being studied. Temperature fluctuations can alter regeneration rates and confound experimental comparisons.

Feeding Regimen

Regular feeding maintains neoblast populations and supports regeneration. Starved animals show reduced regenerative capacity, while overfed animals may become difficult to image because of accumulated pigment and lipid stores. A standard approach is to feed animals once or twice per week and allow a fasting period before amputation to standardize metabolic state.

Colony Health Monitoring

Laboratory colonies can harbor persistent infections that do not cause evident disease. A monosegmented double-stranded RNA virus, named SmedTV for S. mediterranea tricladivirus, has been identified in S. mediterranea lab colonies from multiple institutions 9. The virus persists without causing obvious symptoms and undergoes vertical transmission during serial passage. Viral RNA is concentrated in neural structures including eyes and brain, with fewer infected cells in stem cell compartments and early blastema tissue 9. RNA interference targeted to the viral sequence can cure the infection, though effects on worm health or behavior were not observed 9.

This finding has practical implications. If you observe unexplained variability in regeneration experiments, viral status may be a contributing factor. Screening colonies for SmedTV and other pathogens should be part of routine colony management, particularly when establishing new lines or comparing results across laboratories.

Experimental Design for Regeneration Studies

A well-designed regeneration experiment requires clear hypotheses, appropriate controls, and predefined readouts. The following sections outline the key decisions.

Amputation and Regeneration Timeline

Planarians regenerate missing structures through a process that begins with wound healing and blastema formation. The timeline depends on species, amputation site, temperature, and animal size. For S. mediterranea, head regeneration typically completes within 7 to 14 days under standard conditions, but you should establish the timeline for your specific system before running experiments.

Amputation should be performed with a sterile scalpel or razor blade on a chilled surface to immobilize the animal. The amputation site determines which structures regenerate. Pre-pharyngeal amputations remove the head and produce trunk fragments that regenerate a new head. Post-pharyngeal amputations produce tail fragments that regenerate a new tail. The choice of amputation site should match your research question.

Biological Replicates and Controls

Regeneration experiments require careful attention to replication. Individual animals vary in size, age, and physiological state, so you need sufficient biological replicates to detect treatment effects. A minimum of 5 to 10 animals per condition is common, but the appropriate number depends on the variability of your readout and the magnitude of the effect you expect to detect.

Controls should include:

• Unamputated animals to assess baseline gene expression or protein levels
• Sham-operated animals that undergo handling but not amputation
• Vehicle-treated animals for pharmacological studies
• Control RNAi animals treated with a non-targeting double-stranded RNA

Blastema Measurement and Scoring

Blastema size is a common quantitative readout in regeneration studies. You can measure blastema area or length from images captured at defined time points after amputation. Alternatively, you can score regeneration progress using a staging system that categorizes animals based on the appearance of regenerated structures such as eyespots, pharynx, or photoreceptors.

For automated and high-throughput approaches, microfluidic devices enable automated cultivation, individual tracking, and in vivo imaging of planarian fragments 7. The PlanarianChip architecture incorporates parallel analytical channels with loading and detection chambers, achieving precise loading and confinement of single fragments from different body parts 7. This system supports long-term tracking and live imaging throughout regeneration, with validated performance for studying the effects of liquid-renewal frequency, detection chamber size, and fragmented body parts on regeneration 7.

Gene Expression Analysis

Understanding regeneration requires measuring gene expression changes over time and space. Several complementary methods are available.

Whole-Mount In Situ Hybridization

Whole-mount in situ hybridization (WISH) visualizes specific mRNA targets in intact animals, providing spatial information about gene expression during regeneration 6. The standard protocol uses digoxigenin-labeled RNA probes detected with NBT-BCIP colorimetric development 6. Key steps include fixation, mucus removal, permeabilization, hybridization, and signal detection.

The protocol requires optimization for individual genes. Treatment with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) to remove mucus needs to be adjusted depending on the gene being analyzed, particularly for epidermal markers 6. Overly aggressive mucus removal can reduce signal, while insufficient treatment can increase background. Testing a range of NAC treatment times is recommended when working with new probes.

Immunohistochemistry

Immunohistochemistry detects proteins in whole mounts or tissue sections. The availability of antibodies for planarian antigens has historically been limited, but monoclonal antibody screens have expanded the toolkit. One approach used phagocytic intestinal cells purified from living planarians as immunogens, yielding antibodies that recognized intestinal epitopes as well as markers for the central nervous system, musculature, secretory cells, and epidermis 17.

Sample processing profoundly influences antibody labeling. Fixative choice, treatments to remove mucus and bleach pigment, and methods for tissue permeabilization and antigen retrieval all affect signal intensity and background 17. A step-by-step workflow for determining optimal specimen preparation is essential when working with novel antibodies 17. For paraffin-embedded sections, specific immunohistochemistry protocols have been optimized for planarian tissue 16.

For whole-mount immunofluorescent labeling, protocols incorporate reagents for mucus removal, pigment bleaching, tissue permeabilization, and antigen retrieval 21. Because processing steps can mask or degrade antigens, testing multiple protocol parameters simultaneously is recommended to optimize sample preparation for new antibodies 21.

High-Resolution Histology and Electron Microscopy

Ultrastructural analysis provides information about cellular morphology that light microscopy cannot resolve. An optimized protocol for S. mediterranea processing for histology and transmission electron microscopy can be completed in 6 days, much of which is hands-off time 18. The protocol emphasizes the effects of seemingly minor variations in fixative, buffer concentration, and dehydration steps, which can substantially affect preservation quality 18. This method is particularly useful for researchers with limited experience in tissue processing.

Proteomics and Multi-Omics Approaches

Recent advances in mass spectrometry have enabled proteome-wide analysis of planarian regeneration. A spectral library covering approximately 10,000 proteins has been established for S. mediterranea, and quantitative approaches have measured proteome dynamics during regeneration 3. This work identified upregulated ribosomal proteins supported by ribosome profiling sequencing, and combined RNA sequencing with Ribo-seq to categorize increased protein abundance into regulatory modes at transcriptional, translational, and protein stability levels 3.

Functional examination identified 25 proteins essential for planarian regeneration, including Troponin T as a regulator of regeneration initiation 3. Troponin T showed increased protein abundance before upregulation at transcriptional and translational levels, suggesting regulation of protein stability 3. These findings demonstrate that transcript levels often fail to predict protein abundance, so proteomic approaches can reveal regulatory mechanisms invisible to RNA-based methods alone.

Functional Manipulation of Gene Expression

Determining whether a gene is required for regeneration requires loss-of-function experiments. RNA interference is the primary method for gene knockdown in planarians.

RNAi by Feeding

Double-stranded RNA can be delivered through feeding. Bacteria expressing double-stranded RNA are mixed with food and fed to animals over multiple rounds. This method is relatively simple and does not require specialized equipment. The number of feeding rounds depends on the gene and the tissue being targeted. For genes expressed in the central nervous system or other tissues with slow turnover, additional feeding rounds may be needed.

RNAi by Injection

Synthetic double-stranded RNA can be injected directly into the animal. This method allows precise control over the amount of double-stranded RNA delivered and is useful for genes where feeding-based delivery is inefficient 20. Injection protocols require practice and appropriate equipment, including microcapillary needles and a micromanipulator.

Pharmacological Inhibition

Small molecule inhibitors provide an alternative to genetic manipulation. For example, a fucosylation inhibitor, 2F-peracetyl-fucose, significantly retarded planarian head regeneration in D. japonica, while supplementation with L-fucose improved expression of the fucosyltransferase DjFut8 and stimulated head regeneration 5. This study demonstrated that protein core fucosylation, a posttranslational modification, regulates head regeneration through effects on neoblast proliferation 5.

Pharmacological approaches require careful dose-response testing to identify effective concentrations without toxicity. The route of administration, exposure duration, and solvent controls must be considered. Pharmacological and functional genetic assays for D. japonica have been described in detail, providing a framework for combining drug treatments with gene knockdown 22.

Behavioral and Functional Readouts

Regeneration involves functional recovery that can be assessed through behavioral assays measuring nervous system function and motor control.

Nociception Assays

Planarians display distinct behavioral responses to noxious stimuli. The normal gliding gait switches to a scrunching gait under various noxious conditions, providing a quantifiable readout for nociceptive function 15. Chemical, thermal, and mechanical nociceptive tests have been adapted for planarians using behavioral analysis in open fields and place preferences 15.

The reliability of the scrunching gait has been demonstrated in Girardia dorotocephala, with dose-dependent responses to the irritant AITC 15. Suppressing expression of TRPA1 ion channels completely suppressed the scrunching gait, demonstrating the involvement of TRPA1 nociceptors in this reaction 15. Common analgesics also show antinociceptive properties in this system, with morphine reducing chemically induced nociceptive scrunching gaits and shifting the dose-response curve 15.

These behavioral assays can be applied to regenerating animals to assess functional recovery of the nervous system. If a gene is required for proper nervous system regeneration, animals may show altered nociceptive responses after regeneration.

Locomotion and Feeding Behavior

Regenerated animals should resume normal locomotion and feeding behavior. Quantitative analysis of movement speed, path shape, and feeding efficiency can reveal subtle functional deficits that are not apparent from morphology alone. Video tracking systems can automate these measurements, though manual observation remains viable for smaller studies.

Immobilization and Imaging

Imaging regenerating planarians requires immobilization to prevent movement artifacts. Several methods are available, each with tradeoffs.

Cold Immobilization

Chilling animals on ice or in cold medium slows movement and allows brief imaging. This method is simple and reversible but may cause physiological stress if prolonged. Cold immobilization is suitable for bright-field imaging and short fluorescence sessions.

Chemical Immobilization

Chemical agents can immobilize planarians for longer imaging sessions. A low percent ethanol method has been described for immobilizing planarians, providing a simple approach that is compatible with subsequent processing 23. The ethanol concentration must be optimized to achieve immobilization without causing tissue damage or affecting downstream assays.

Microfluidic Immobilization

Microfluidic devices provide precise spatial confinement of individual animals or fragments. The PlanarianChip enables loading and semi-closing of single fragments within detection chambers, achieving a 100% success rate while allowing controlled medium renewal 7. This approach supports long-term tracking and live imaging throughout regeneration, with the ability to study individual animals instead of population averages 7.

Records and Measurements

Systematic record keeping is essential for reproducible regeneration experiments. The following measurements should be documented for each experiment.

Animal Metadata

Record species, strain, age, size, feeding history, and reproductive mode for each animal. For species that switch between asexual and sexual reproduction, reproductive mode can affect regenerative capacity and gene expression 10. Individual variation in size and physiological state should be noted.

Regeneration Metrics

Document the following for each animal at defined time points:

• Blastema area or length
• Time to eyespot appearance
• Time to pharynx regeneration
• Time to complete morphological regeneration
• Body length and width
• Presence of abnormalities or delayed regeneration

Gene Expression Data

For gene expression analyses, record the number of biological replicates, the number of technical replicates, and the quantification method. For WISH, document the staining intensity and spatial pattern. For quantitative PCR or RNA sequencing, record quality metrics and analysis parameters.

Imaging Parameters

Document microscope settings, exposure times, and image processing steps. Consistent imaging parameters are essential for quantitative comparisons across conditions.

Common Failure Patterns and Troubleshooting

Several recurring problems can compromise regeneration experiments. Recognizing these patterns early saves time and resources.

Poor Regeneration in Control Animals

If control animals fail to regenerate normally, the problem is likely in animal health or culture conditions. Check water quality, temperature, feeding history, and colony health. Consider screening for viral infections such as SmedTV, which may affect experimental outcomes even without evident disease 9.

High Animal Mortality

Excessive mortality after amputation can result from infection, improper amputation technique, or toxic culture conditions. Sterilize surgical tools, maintain clean culture medium, and monitor water quality. If mortality persists, test different culture conditions or consult published protocols for your species.

Inconsistent Gene Expression Patterns

Variability in WISH or immunohistochemistry results often reflects inconsistent sample processing. Standardize fixation times, mucus removal, and permeabilization steps. Test a range of processing parameters when working with new probes or antibodies 17 21.

RNAi Phenotypes Not Reproducible

RNAi experiments can fail for several reasons. The double-stranded RNA may be degraded, the delivery method may be inefficient, or the gene may have redundant functions. Increase the number of feeding or injection rounds, verify knockdown by quantitative PCR or WISH, and consider combining RNAi with pharmacological inhibition.

Background Staining in Immunohistochemistry

High background often results from insufficient permeabilization, inadequate blocking, or antibody cross-reactivity. Optimize fixation and permeabilization conditions, increase blocking time, and test antibody concentrations across a range 17.

Welfare and Safety Considerations

Planarians are invertebrate animals, and their use in research is generally subject to fewer regulatory requirements than vertebrate studies. However, ethical considerations still apply. Researchers should minimize animal suffering, use the minimum number of animals needed for statistical power, and follow institutional guidelines for invertebrate research.

Anesthesia and Euthanasia

Methods for immobilizing planarians should minimize distress. Cold immobilization is generally considered humane, and chemical methods should use the lowest effective concentration 23. Euthanasia methods should be rapid and reliable, typically involving immersion in a fixative solution.

Chemical Safety

Many reagents used in planarian research require careful handling. Fixatives such as paraformaldehyde and glutaraldehyde are toxic and should be used in a fume hood with appropriate personal protective equipment. Pharmacological inhibitors may have unknown toxicity, so dose-response testing should include monitoring for adverse effects.

Biosafety

Planarian colonies can harbor viruses and other microorganisms. Standard laboratory hygiene practices, including hand washing and surface decontamination, should be followed. If you are working with RNA interference or other molecular tools, follow institutional biosafety guidelines for recombinant DNA and synthetic nucleic acids.

Limitations and Interpretation

Planarian regeneration research has inherent limitations that should be acknowledged when interpreting results.

Species Differences

Findings in one planarian species may not generalize to others. Regenerative abilities, tissue turnover rates, and reproductive strategies vary across the hundreds of planarian species worldwide 8. Comparative studies using multiple species can identify conserved mechanisms, but single-species studies should be interpreted cautiously.

In Vitro Limitations

Culturing planarian neoblasts in vitro remains challenging. Neoblasts tend to aggregate in culture, and their behavior is influenced by cell-cell interactions and environmental factors 14. An optimized culture condition using U-bottom plates supplemented with planarian extract for the first 3 days incorporates cues from both micro- and macro-environments, reducing cell death and increasing DNA replication 14. However, long-term culture and genetic manipulation of neoblasts in vitro remain limited.

Transcript-Protein Disconnect

Transcript levels often fail to predict protein abundance during regeneration 3. RNA-based methods such as WISH and RNA sequencing provide valuable information, but they may miss regulatory mechanisms operating at the translational or protein stability level. Combining transcriptomic and proteomic approaches provides a more complete picture of regeneration dynamics 3.

Transposon Contributions

Transposons can provide benefits to their hosts. The Ty3-like giant transposon Burro1 in planarians has incorporated a host-derived anti-apoptotic protein that improves stem cell resilience and enhances regenerative abilities 13. This mutualistic interaction between a transposon and its host complicates interpretations of genome function and evolution 13. When analyzing genomic or transcriptomic data, consider that transposon-derived sequences may contribute to regenerative phenotypes.

Aging and Positional Information

Regeneration capacity can change with age. In S. mediterranea, age-related infertility is associated with a posterior shift in the Notum/Wnt signaling gradient that determines anterior-posterior polarity 12. Manipulating this gradient by RNAi can slow or accelerate reproductive aging, indicating that tissue polarity maintenance is required to mitigate age-related decline 12. When designing regeneration experiments, consider the age of your animals and its potential effects on outcomes.

Stress and Regeneration History

Regeneration history and environmental stress can shape transcriptional responses. Exposure to the potassium channel blocker barium chloride causes head degeneration in D. japonica, followed by regeneration of insensitive heads, offering a model for studying transcriptional resilience to novel stress 11. RNA sequencing on individual planaria revealed that tail-regenerated worms upregulated neurodevelopmental and morphogenetic programs while downregulating mitochondrial transport and stress-response pathways relative to intact controls 11. These findings underscore the complex interplay between regeneration, chemical stress, and social context in shaping gene expression 11.

Professional Escalation Criteria

Some experimental situations require consultation with more experienced researchers or specialized facilities. Consider escalating in the following circumstances:

Persistent Colony Health Problems

If animals show unexplained mortality, reduced regeneration, or behavioral abnormalities despite standard culture conditions, consult a laboratory with established planarian culture expertise. Screening for viral infections and other pathogens may require specialized reagents and protocols 9.

Unusual Regeneration Phenotypes

If you observe regeneration patterns that do not match published descriptions for your species, document the phenotype carefully and seek advice from researchers with experience in planarian developmental biology. Novel phenotypes may indicate contamination, genetic variation, or previously undescribed biological mechanisms.

Proteomics or Genomics Needs

If your research question requires proteomic or genomic analysis beyond your laboratory's capabilities, consider collaborating with a facility that has experience with planarian samples. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics of planarians requires specialized sample preparation and analysis pipelines 3.

Microfluidic or Advanced Imaging Needs

If you need automated culture, individual tracking, or long-term live imaging, microfluidic systems may be appropriate 7. These systems require specialized fabrication and operation expertise. Consult with laboratories that have established microfluidic platforms for planarian research.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best planarian species for a regeneration experiment?

The best species depends on your research question. Schmidtea mediterranea has the most extensive molecular resources, including a sequenced genome, established RNAi protocols, and well-characterized stem cell biology 4. Dugesia japonica is widely used for pharmacological studies and has robust regeneration 22. Girardia dorotocephala is suitable for behavioral studies linking regeneration to nervous system function 15. For comparative studies, PlanMine provides resources for multiple species 8.

How long does planarian head regeneration take?

The timeline depends on species, temperature, amputation site, and animal size. For S. mediterranea, head regeneration typically completes within 7 to 14 days under standard laboratory conditions. You should establish the timeline for your specific system before running experiments, as variations in culture conditions can substantially affect regeneration rates.

How do I perform RNA interference in planarians?

Double-stranded RNA can be delivered by feeding bacteria expressing the double-stranded RNA or by direct injection of synthetic double-stranded RNA 20. Feeding is simpler but requires multiple rounds for effective knockdown. Injection allows precise control over delivery but requires specialized equipment. Verify knockdown by quantitative PCR or whole-mount in situ hybridization before interpreting phenotypes.

What controls should I include in a regeneration experiment?

Include unamputated animals to assess baseline gene expression, sham-operated animals that undergo handling but not amputation, vehicle-treated animals for pharmacological studies, and control RNAi animals treated with non-targeting double-stranded RNA. Biological replicates of 5 to 10 animals per condition are common, but the appropriate number depends on variability and expected effect size.

How do I measure regeneration progress?

Blastema size can be measured from images captured at defined time points. Alternatively, score regeneration progress using a staging system based on the appearance of regenerated structures such as eyespots, pharynx, or photoreceptors. For automated approaches, microfluidic devices enable individual tracking and live imaging throughout regeneration 7.

What is the role of neoblasts in regeneration?

Neoblasts are the pluripotent stem cells of planarians that drive homeostatic somatic cell renewal, reproduction, and blastema formation during regeneration 4. They are a heterogeneous population of mitotic and non-mitotic cells. Understanding neoblast behavior is central to planarian regeneration research.

Can planarians be used for pharmacological studies?

Yes, planarians are increasingly used in pharmacological and behavioral studies beyond regeneration 15. Pharmacological inhibitors can be delivered through the culture medium, and dose-response testing is essential to identify effective concentrations without toxicity. Pharmacological and functional genetic assays for D. japonica have been described in detail 22.

How do I handle planarian viruses in my laboratory?

A monosegmented double-stranded RNA virus, SmedTV, is prevalent in S. mediterranea lab colonies without causing evident disease [9](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/329

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References and Further Reading

• NCBI Literature Resources. National Center for Biotechnology Information.
• PubMed. National Library of Medicine.
• Proteomics-based multi-omics identifies the roadmap of transcription-translation-protein dynamics in planarian regeneration.. Developmental cell, 2025.
• Planarian regeneration between 1960s and 1990s: From skilful baffled ancestors to bold integrative descendants. A personal account.. Seminars in cell & developmental biology, 2019.
• Protein Core Fucosylation Regulates Planarian Head Regeneration via Neoblast Proliferation.. Frontiers in cell and developmental biology, 2021.
• Colorimetric Whole-Mount In Situ Hybridization in Planarians.. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 2023.
• Regeneration-on-a-chip: a planarian microfluidic device enabling automated cultivation, individual tracking and in vivo imaging for regeneration study.. The Analyst, 2026.
• PlanMine--a mineable resource of planarian biology and biodiversity.. Nucleic acids research, 2016.
• A Novel Taxon of Monosegmented Double-Stranded RNA Viruses Endemic to Triclad Flatworms.. Journal of virology, 2020.
• Annual rhythmicity in the switching of reproductive mode in planarians.. Zoology (Jena, Germany), 2022.
• Transcriptional Profiling of Planarian Regeneration Habituating to Physiological Stressor Reveals Individual and Collective Dynamics. 2026.
• Drift of positional identity drives reproductive aging in a long-lived regenerative animal.. 2026.
• Host-transposon mutualism supports regeneration in planarians.. 2026.
• Enhanced cell contact and planarian tissue extract increase DNA replication and viability for neoblast cultivation.. 2026.
• Behavioral and pharmacological characterization of planarian nociception. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, 2024.
• Immunohistochemistry on Paraffin-Embedded Planarian Tissue Sections.. Methods in molecular biology, 2018.
• Generation of cell type-specific monoclonal antibodies for the planarian and optimization of sample processing for immunolabeling. BMC Developmental Biology, 2014.
• Preparation of the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea for high-resolution histology and transmission electron microscopy. Nature Protocols, 2014.
• Monoclonal antibodies as markers of specific cell types and regional antigens in the freshwater planarian Dugesia (G.) tigrina. Hydrobiologia, 1991.
• RNA Interference in Planarians: Feeding and Injection of Synthetic dsRNA.. Methods in molecular biology, 2018.
• Fixation, processing, and immunofluorescent labeling of whole mount planarians. Methods in molecular biology, 2018.
• Pharmacological and functional genetic assays to manipulate regeneration of the planarian Dugesia japonica.. Journal of Visualized Experiments Jove, 2011.
• A low percent ethanol method for immobilizing planarians. Plos One, 2010.
• Culturing planarians in the laboratory. Methods in Molecular Biology, 2018.

This article is educational and does not replace institutional policy, professional advice, or applicable safety and regulatory requirements.