Towards Establishment of transgenic methods for the study of planarian regeneration

Planarian are free living flatworms capable of regenerating whole tissues and organs from small tissue fragments in a process mediated by pluripotent stem cells. For over a century planarians have been used as a model for studying stem cell biology and regeneration. Emergence of new molecular methods in planarians for gene inhibition, imaging of whole animals using in situ hybridization, and high throughput gene expression analysis have revolutionized planarian research. However, planarian research is greatly limited by the lack of methods for modifying the planarian genome, introducing transgenes, and generating modified animal lines. We are developing methods for delivery of exogenous materials into planarian cells, in vivo. Initially, we are optimizing the delivery of fluorescently-labeled molecules into planarians by electroporation using isolated cells or on entire animals. Then, we measure the efficiency of delivery of the molecules into live animal cells by using confocal and epifluorescence microscopy. Optimizing delivery of biomolecules into live planarian cells will promote the establishment of new methods for delivery of exogenous into planarian and potentially revolutionize planarian research.