Recently students in the Mount Madonna School (MMS) 12th grade
Honors Science with Humanities course investigated stem cells by conducting a
Planarian Regeneration lab. Students observed how planarians regenerate and
considered what the applications might be for human science in terms of curing
disease.
Planarians are a bilateral flatworm that have the incredible
ability to regenerate in totality. Students are observing the regeneration
process over the course of a month and recording the ways in which the planarians
regenerate asexually. Following various cuts performed on the planarians,
students will look at the advantages and disadvantages of regeneration or asexual
reproduction. No animals were harmed in this process; regeneration is a type of
asexual reproduction and the students' "cuts" are creating more planarians,
or clones of the existing animals.
“This lab is part of our biotechnology unit covering the
topic of stem cells,” said teacher Nicole Silva Culbertson. “There is a lot of
groundbreaking research happening around stem cells and the plethora of
diseases it may have the ability to cure, including paralysis, diabetes and
Parkinson’s. Stem cell research does not come without controversy and debate,
however, about how we acquire stem cells.
“As part of this course, students are studying the various
types of stem cells – multipotent, pluripotent and totipotent – and how we, as
humans, derive these stem cells, for example, with in vitro fertilization
(IVF). Students study the science, history, economics, ethics and political
debate around stem cells.”
