Drug Discov Ther. 2026;20(1):7-11. (DOI: 10.5582/ddt.2025.01129)

Potworm (Enchytraeus japonensis) as a potential platform for drug screening in regenerative medicine

Fujita T, Yamaguchi S

Regenerative medicine holds substantial promise for restoring the function of damaged or lost organs and tissues. However, the development of effective small-molecule drugs in this field has been limited, partially owing to the lack of suitable regenerative animal models for drug discovery. Enchytraeus japonensis, a small annelid with exceptional regenerative capacity, is emerging as a valuable model for regeneration research. E. japonensis regenerates in a shorter period, in only 4 days, than other major regenerative animal models. Moreover, novel experimental systems have recently been developed to enhance the utility of E. japonensis, including a soaking RNA interference system for easy, non-invasive gene knockdown, an imaging system for quantifying cell distribution in the blastema, and soaking-based pharmacological inhibition using small-molecule compounds. This review highlights E. japonensis as a potential platform for chemical screening in regenerative medicine.

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