Flatworms are dorsoventrally flattened, bilaterally symmetrical invertebrates of the phylum Platyhelminthes, widely used as model organisms in developmental biology, regeneration research, and parasitology. They possess a triploblastic, acoelomate body plan with no specialized circulatory or respiratory systems, relying on diffusion across a high surface-area epithelium. Many free-living species, such as planarians, exhibit remarkable regenerative capacity mediated by pluripotent neoblasts, making them central to stem cell and patterning studies. Parasitic flatworms, including trematodes and cestodes, are major subjects in host–parasite interaction, immunomodulation, and disease transmission research, particularly in the context of neglected tropical diseases.
Science never stops. Get notified about trending stories.
