Comparative transcriptomic analyses and single-cell RNA sequencing of the freshwater planarian Schmidtea mediterranea identify major cell types and pathway conservation

In the Lophotrochozoa/Spiralia superphylum, few organisms have as high a capacity for rapid testing of gene function and single-cell transcriptomics as the freshwater planaria. The species Schmidtea mediterranea in particular has become a powerful model to use in studying adult stem cell biology and mechanisms of regeneration.