Abstract
Following decapitation of Bdellocephala brunnea Ijima et Kaburaki and subsequent repeated removal of regenerating head-blastemas, the copulatory apparatus degenerated within 40–60 days. The copulatory apparatus disintegrated into cell clusters that further divided into separate neoblast-like cells that, in turn, eventually transformed into ordinary parenchymal cells by 60 days after decapitation. When the head of worms with a degenerate copulatory apparatus was allowed to regenerate by discontinuing excision of the head blastema, a new copulatory apparatus differentiated, ostensibly from the dedifferentiated cells. The neoblast-like cells appear to participate in the redifferentiation of the penis and of other parts of the copulatory apparatus.
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Kudoh, M., Teshima, H. & Teshirogi, W. Dedifferentiation and redifferentiation of the penis of the freshwater planarian Bdellocephala brunnea . Hydrobiologia 227, 47–56 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00027580
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00027580