Tufts University spearheaded an engineering process with flatworms as the star of the freak show. Cell communication was reviewed intently by the biologists who discovered that DNA was not the key to creating a changed dynamic, but rather proteins. In a controlled environment, the scientists reviewed the Girardia dorotocephala flatworm. This specific species is known for regeneration of its tissues. A gruesome Frankenstein procedure would soon follow.
The researchers first removed the heads of the chosen flatworms, and before the specimen could regenerate, the scientists interrupted the protein channels process by nudging the flatworm.
During decapitation, the cells communicate with electrical impulses to start the regeneration process. Interrupting this flow by electrical synapses did something else; the flatworm began to develop brain and head formations similar to other flatworm species. They monitored the flatworms, and discovered the changes were temporary before the flatworms converted to their original sized head and brain.
Scientists are still determining how, and why the regeneration process failed, and the flatworm’s head and brain converted back to its original state.
Author Michael Levin Ph.D. said, “It is commonly thought that the sequence and structure of chromatin — material that makes up chromosomes — determine the shape of an organism, but these results show that the function of physiological networks can override the species-specific default anatomy.”
The study shows a promising influence as the biologists hope to glean valuable information on how to counter birth defects, or injuries, as Levin states, “These findings raise significant questions about how genes and bioelectric networks interact to build complex body structures.”
The study is ongoing, as Levin and his team want to show a structured approach of the flatworm maintaining its shape beyond several weeks. In a previous lab experiment, Levin engineered another flatworm species that maintained two heads following a successful cell manipulation.