The Stem Cell Podcast

Ep. 264: “Planarian Regeneration” Featuring Dr. Blair Benham-Pyle

Apr 2, 2024
Guest
Blair Benham-Pyle
Dr. Blair Benham-Pyle, an Assistant Professor at Baylor College of Medicine who studies planarian whole-body regeneration, discusses how multipotent stem cells rebuild tissues. She talks about mechanical and microenvironmental cues shaping stem cell behavior. Spatial transcriptomics and functional screens reveal unexpected niche cells and signals. She also reflects on life-history differences and training choices.
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INSIGHT

Adult Pluripotency Powers Whole-Body Regeneration

  • Schmidtea mediterranea maintains 15–20% of cells as highly multipotent adult stem cells that fuel whole-body regeneration.
  • A single transplanted planarian stem cell can rescue all tissues in a lethally irradiated host about 25% of the time, showing true adult pluripotency.
INSIGHT

Mechanics Shape Cell-Cycle Decisions

  • Mechanical forces influence cell-cycle entry via adhesion-to-nucleus signaling, changing the probability of individual cells dividing.
  • YAP1 and beta-catenin transduce strain into transcriptional activation that controls proliferation decisions.
INSIGHT

Stem Cell Potency Depends On Neighborhood

  • Stem cell function may arise from collective properties with their microenvironment rather than only intrinsic factors.
  • Spatial context could reveal supportive cell types that standard differential expression misses.
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