Vous êtes sur la page 1sur 4

NAME: Gabriella Whited

CLASS: Science
DATE: 5/8/14
PLANARIA LAB REPORT

PROBLEM: If trisected, which piece of a planarian will regenerate first?

HYPOTHESIS: If trisected, then the head will regenerate first.

THEORY:
Planaria are inverted flatworms that are able to reproduce asexually and
sexually. All planarian are hermaphrodites, which means they contain both male
and female sex organs. The gametes fuse inside of the worm and the worm 'lays'
these sacs full of eggs that give rise to young worms (this process involves two
parents.) Two or more capsule-like eggs are laid, and the planaria mature in the egg
until they are ready to be released from their parent. Sexual reproduction is the best
way for planarian to reproduce because it allows each offspring to have genetic
diversity and it increases the rate of survival for planarian. Where as asexual
reproduction produces identical offsprings to their parent. Increases the rate of
survival

Asexual reproduction is the second form in which planarian use to reproduce.
Asexual reproduction isnt the best way for planarian to reproduce because the
offspring has no genetic diversity from their parent, which cannot be beneficial in
environmental factors. Tail dropping is when the planarian detaches its tail and each
half regrows by a process known as regeneration. Planarian use tail dropping when
they cant find another planarian to reproduce sexually with also this type of
reproduction is very common when planarian are kept in stagnant water. When
planarian are injured the neoblasts (stem cells) rush to the cut or wound and the
tissue is reformed.

Neoblasts are undifferentiated stem cells (totipotent) that allow the
planarian to regenerate. A Blastema is a group of unspecialized stem cells that form
when an organ or new tissue develops, and is essential in regeneration. The
neoblasts receive a signal from the cells around them when the planarian is injured,
they move to the cut or wound and regenerate the lost tissue. The tissue grows in a
particular direction because planarian contain polarity which helps in regeneration
because then the cells know which part of the planarian that needs to be
regenerated. My hypothesis suggests that if a planarian is trisected then the anterior
will regenerate first. I believe the anterior will regenerate first because it seems like
it would be the fastest growing piece and also it is the largest piece.






Conclusion:
In this lab we trisected a planarian, and our problem statement was which
piece of planarian would regenerate first. I hypothesized that if trisected the head
will regenerate first. By day 5 the posterior piece was the longest and most
pigmented and regenerated both the mid section and anterior piece, and had grown
oculi. There were no ghost cells present on the posterior piece because this piece
was a complete planarian, unlike the midsection where clear tissue was seen and
growth was present. 14% of 7
th
graders experienced the posterior of the planaria
regenerating first. In first period 38% of my classmates, experienced the posterior
of the planarian regenerating first. Our class data compared to the 7
th
grade data
had a huge difference, but for both my class and the 7
th
grade the mid section had
the highest percent of regeneration. In conclusion my hypothesis was both incorrect
for my class and the 7
th
grade.


Analysis:
My results werent valid, only eleven out of the seventy-eight students
received the same data as I did. I believe the reason my data ended up this way is
because of the trisection, the posterior was by far the longest piece cut. This
definitely gave an advantage to the posterior piece because it had to regenerate the
least. It was very difficult to cut the planarian into 3 equal pieces because while
youre trisecting the planarian, theyre moving, and its very hard to get a good grip.
I think next time the teacher should trisect the planarian, because then there will be
a lower percentage of bad trisections, which will help make the data more reliable. I
observed that the other groups in the classroom that trisected the planarian into
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Anterior Mid section Posterior
%
F
I
R
S
T

R
E
G
E
N
E
R
A
T
I
O
N

2014 Regeneration Data
1st period
7th grade
three equal pieces ended their results with the midsection regenerating the most. I
think the poor trisection of the planarian influenced the outcome of the test results,
because to end up with valid data you would have to trisect the planarian properly.

Planaria are inverted worms and humans are vertebrates but despite that
difference, they both have stem cells (undifferentiated cells) that have the ability to
become any differentiated cell in the body. Stem cells are used to replace dying or
rotting cells in the body. Human stem cells have the ability to become totipotent,
multipotent, and pluripotent cells. Totipotent stem cells have the potential to
become any type of cell, multipotent stem cells can become most cell types, and
pluripotent stem cells have the potential to become several cell types. Neoblasts in
planarian are like totipotent stem cells in humans because they have the potential to
become any cell type. Neoblasts can replace a part of the body that is cut of or
injured, and this process is referred to as regeneration. While human stem cells have
the potential of becoming pluripotent, multipotent, and totipotent stem cells,
neoblast can only become totipotent stem cells. One of the main differences between
neoblast and human stem cells is that human stem cells cant regenerate a body part
that is cut of while neoblast can. Scientists are working hard to figure out how to use
stem cells, like neoblast in planaria, to rebuild tissue and organs in the human body.
Neoblast in planaria can regenerate (build) both the digestive and excretory
systems. Stem cells in humans and neoblast in planarian are very similar and are
built to carry out the same function, but the small difference between them is that
neoblast can regenerate the digestive and excretory systems while stem cells cannot.

Presently there is less controversy over stem cell research than there was in
the past. Human embryonic stem cells, HES, produce the most pluripotent stem cells,
which means that they have the potential to become any cell in the body. The reason
human embryonic stem cells are so controversial is because in the process of
creating these stem cells results in killing a human embryo. People argue that killing
a human embryo is like killing a baby and they dont think that ending a human
embryos life is worth the study of stem cells. Because human embryonic stem cells
were so controversial scientists have now found a way to make artificial human
embryonic stem cells, which are created through the process of IPS and STAP.
Induced pluripotent stem cells (IPS) are used for the transformation of embryonic
stem cells to artificial embryonic stem cells. In the process genes from embryonic
stem cells are inserted into a somatic cell, which means these genes can be inserted
into any cell in the body except the reproductive cells. Stimulus-triggered
acquisition of pluripotency (STAP) is the process in which somatic cells are exposed
to stimulus, which makes them turn into embryonic stem cells. IPS and STAP cells
have helped make the arguments about human embryonic stem cells less
controversial. This is because scientists have found a way to make cell replacement
therapies without destroying human embryos.


Bibliography:
Go Go Stem Cells." Go Go Stem Cells. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May 2014.
"The Nature of Stem Cells." The Nature of Stem Cells. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May 2014.
"The Stem Cell Debate: Is It Over?" The Stem Cell Debate: Is It Over? N.p., n.d. Web. 07
May 2014.
"Unlocking Stem Cell Potential." Unlocking Stem Cell Potential. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May
2014.

Vous aimerez peut-être aussi