More extraordinary model systems for regeneration

Donna Huber on October 28, 2025

Cluster of white worms in a petri dish, used as model systems. (B) Microscopic view of worm head with green and magenta fluorescence highlights regeneration. (C) Close-up shows magenta fluorescence and DAPI staining.

Fig. 3 The rat tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta.

 

The ability of organisms to replace and regenerate anatomical structures following their loss or damage has piqued the curiosity of biologists for centuries. In addition to Development’s ‘Model systems for regeneration’ collection, which introduced some of the most well-studied model organisms in the field, we published a Perspective in 2024 highlighting some of the lesser-known species with extraordinary regenerative abilities from plants to vertebrates ( Accorsi et al., 2024). Here, we revisit this topic again, hearing the perspectives of five experts, each of whom studies an amazing species with remarkable regenerative potential.

José E García-Arrarás, Chunyi Li, Tania Rozario, Mansi Srivastava, Andrew Willoughby. Development. 2025 Oct 15;152(20):dev205215. doi: 10.1242/dev.205215.