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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Planarian as an Animal Model for Experimental Acute Seizure
08:29

Planarian as an Animal Model for Experimental Acute Seizure

Published on: February 14, 2025

A low percent ethanol method for immobilizing planarians.

Claire G Stevenson1, Wendy Scott Beane

  • 1Biology Department, Tufts Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, United States of America.

Plos One
|December 24, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

A simple ethanol treatment immobilizes planarians for live imaging. This method is inexpensive, reversible, and does not harm regeneration, making live imaging more accessible for stem cell and regeneration research.

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Planarian Immobilization, Partial Irradiation, and Tissue Transplantation
10:09

Planarian Immobilization, Partial Irradiation, and Tissue Transplantation

Published on: August 6, 2012

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Planarian as an Animal Model for Experimental Acute Seizure
08:29

Planarian as an Animal Model for Experimental Acute Seizure

Published on: February 14, 2025

Immobilization of Live Caenorhabditis elegans Individuals Using an Ultra-thin Polydimethylsiloxane Microfluidic Chip with Water Retention
04:55

Immobilization of Live Caenorhabditis elegans Individuals Using an Ultra-thin Polydimethylsiloxane Microfluidic Chip with Water Retention

Published on: March 19, 2019

Planarian Immobilization, Partial Irradiation, and Tissue Transplantation
10:09

Planarian Immobilization, Partial Irradiation, and Tissue Transplantation

Published on: August 6, 2012

Area of Science:

  • * Developmental Biology
  • * Stem Cell Biology
  • * Regenerative Medicine

Background:

  • * Planarians are a valuable model for studying adult stem cells, regeneration, and polarity.
  • * Live imaging of planarians is challenging due to their photophobic nature and movement.
  • * Existing methods for immobilization, like RNAi injection or cold exposure, have significant drawbacks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To develop a simple, inexpensive, and reversible method for immobilizing planarians for live imaging.
  • * To assess the efficacy and safety of ethanol treatment for planarian immobilization.
  • * To improve the accessibility of live imaging assays in planarian research.

Main Methods:

  • * Treatment of *Schmidtea mediterranea* planarians with 3% ethanol (EtOH) for 1 hour.
  • * Observation of movement inhibition and recovery times.
  • * Assessment of regeneration after repeated EtOH exposure.
  • * Histological analysis (H&E staining) to evaluate epithelial cell integrity.

Main Results:

  • * A 1-hour treatment with 3% ethanol effectively inhibited both fine and gross movements in planarians.
  • * Full recovery of movement was observed within 3-4 hours post-treatment.
  • * Ethanol treatment did not impede regeneration, even after repeated exposures.
  • * No epithelial cell lysis was detected via H&E staining.

Conclusions:

  • * Short-term, low-concentration ethanol exposure is a quick, effective, and reversible method for immobilizing planarians.
  • * This technique is adaptable to various planarian sizes and does not compromise regeneration or cell integrity.
  • * The described method enhances the feasibility of live imaging assays for planarian research, particularly in stem cell and regeneration studies.