A flatworm parasite found on the gills of a fiddler ray caught off Mandurah, WA. Picture: Ian Whittington, SA Museum Source: Supplied <\/p>\n
THE key to immortality could be in flatworms, scientists say. The worms hold the remarkable ability to regenerate time and time again - effectively living forever. <\/p>\n
If one is cut in half, the head portion grows a tail and the tail portion grows a head. <\/p>\n
Cut it into 20 pieces and 20 new worms, each an exact copy of the first, are created. <\/p>\n
This has been exploited by Nottingham University scientists who have created a colony of more than 20,000 worms - which, in the wild, live in lakes and ponds - all from one original, whose bodies and organs do not appear to age. <\/p>\n
They are confident a single worm which did not divide would live forever unless it catches an infection or another illness. <\/p>\n
Researcher Dr Aziz Aboobaker said: \"In my opinion, they are immortal.\" <\/p>\n
It is hoped that the research will help develop treatments that allow humans to stay fit and healthy long into old age. <\/p>\n
The experiments focused on Schmidtea mediterranea, a relative of an African parasite. <\/p>\n
The flatworm has a simple brain, which can be regenerated by stem cells found elsewhere in the body. In contrast, an earthworm would die if cut in two. <\/p>\n
Key to the flatworm's immortality are telomeres - tiny biological clocks that cap the ends of chromosomes. In the flatworm, the telomeres stay intact, allowing cells to divide many times and stopping ageing in its tracks. <\/p>\n
Dr Aboobaker and colleague Dr Thomas Tan said: \"The next goals for us are to understand the mechanisms in more detail and understand more about how you evolve an immortal animal.\" <\/p>\n
Knowing more about how the worms safely do this could help stem cell scientists achieve their Holy Grail - the growth of new hearts, livers or brain cells in a dish. It could also speed the development of drugs that stave off diseases of old age. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
See more here: A flatworm parasite found on the gills of a fiddler ray caught off Mandurah, WA. Picture: Ian Whittington, SA Museum Source: Supplied THE key to immortality could be in flatworms, scientists say. The worms hold the remarkable ability to regenerate time and time again - effectively living forever Continue reading
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