{
  "id": 6256611,
  "title": "Worm's radical transformation shows metamorphosis can change the functions of cells",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/worms-radical-transformation-shows-metamorphosis-can-change-the",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-08T09:00:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-09-worm-radical-metamorphosis-functions-cells.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A study led by Stanford researchers has discovered that certain worms undergo a significant reprogramming of their cells during metamorphosis, challenging previous assumptions about the process. Acorn worms, which are part of the phylum Hemichordata and considered an evolutionary link to vertebrates, provide a unique opportunity to study this phenomenon. Instead of cells simply dying and being replaced by new ones, the research found that most larval cells were reprogrammed, even neurons adopting new roles. This extensive cellular reprogramming was observed across various cell types, with over half of them changing their function during the transformation. This finding suggests that reprogramming may be a more common feature of normal development in animals with bilateral body plans, such as humans, than previously thought. The study, published in Nature Communications, utilized genetic analyses on over 87,000 cells from worms at different developmental stages, revealing that many larval cells were more similar to each other than to adult cells performing the same function. While some cells, like muscle and mesoderm cells, retained their identities, the majority of cells underwent significant changes, with neurons being particularly affected. This discovery could shed light on the evolutionary history of many animals and open up new avenues of research in developmental biology.",
  "summary": "A squishy worm that starts its life as something of a floating head in the Pacific Ocean is changing what scientists know about metamorphosis at the cellular level.",
  "key_points": [
    "Stanford researchers discover significant cell reprogramming during acorn worm metamorphosis.",
    "Over half of larval cells change function during transformation, unlike previous assumptions.",
    "Study published in Nature Communications, reveals evolutionary insights into animal development."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The finding that most larval cells in acorn worms are reprogrammed during metamorphosis, including neurons adopting new roles, suggests that cellular reprogramming may be a common feature of normal development in bilaterally symmetrical animals.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}