Blastema Tissue Regeneration in Immature Earthworms Eisenia fetida - a Prospective Wound Healing Agent

Department of Zoology, Government Victoria College, Palakkad, Kerala, India

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Abstract

Research on immature nematode worm tissues and larval secretions have gained recent attraction of the scientific community due to their promising applications in regenerative medicine. Annelids, in general, and specifically earthworms, have remarkable capacity for regeneration. Extracts from earthworm tissues have demonstrated significant wound healing potential even centuries back in Chinese medicines. Clitellum is a specialized region of the body of earthworms which is primarily involved in mucus production, and reproduction, and in regeneration processes The present study aim to assess the amputation and regeneration potential of the blastema tissue in immature and mature earthworms before and after clitellar development. Eisenia fetida adults and immature worms were collected, acclimatized and made amputations on anterior and posterior segments of the young earthworms at the region pre and post clitellum and compared with adult worms amputed 8 segments from the posterior region. The regeneration capacity of both the adult and immature groups were observed and measured over a period of 12 days which led to the conclusion that, the young ones exhibited a relatable quantum of regeneration capacity compared with adult worms even before the formation of clitellum suggesting the regenerative tissue extract from immature earthworms can be a better choice as they contain both blastema specific regeneration factors as well as general growth factors of immature annelids giving a combinatorial effect on growth and healing.