Gene expression profiling of planarians after inhibition of hmcn-1

Inhibition of hemicentin-1, which encodes a highly conserved ECM glycoprotein specifically expressed in muscle, leads to aberrant localization of internal parenchymal cells, including planarian stem cells (neoblasts) and differentiated cells, between the outer epidermis and sub-epidermal muscle. Polyadenylated RNA was isolated from tail fragments planarians following feeding with in vitro transcribed RNAi of a control gene (C.elegans unc-22; 3 replicates) or hmcn-1 (3 replicates). Worms were fed four times every other day and cut 5 days after final feeding for a total of 13 days, a timepoint before ectopic cells are visible.