The Ocean’s “Real-Life Zombie” Is a Sea Cucumber Whose Amputated Tissue Survived for Three Years
Researchers have discovered that amputated tissue from cold-water sea cucumbers can survive and grow for over three years in seawater. This finding challenges previous assumptions about tissue resilience and has implications for regenerative medicine and biological research. The study highlights the potential of using this sea cucumber tissue as a model for exploring tissue regrowth and wound healing.
- ▪The severed tissue from sea cucumbers remained alive and showed growth for more than three years.
- ▪Researchers found that the tissue could absorb nutrients directly from seawater, allowing it to thrive in a natural environment.
- ▪This discovery could lead to advancements in biomedical science, particularly in tissue engineering and antimicrobial therapies.
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A severed piece of sea cucumber didn’t seem like a very interesting specimen for a group of scientists. Then, weeks later, they noticed something surprising — not only had the severed piece not died, but it appeared to be growing.It sounds like the premise of a science fiction story, but researchers found that amputated tissue from cold-water sea cucumbers — which they are calling “real-life zombies” — remained alive and growing for more than three years in ordinary seawater.The findings, published in Science Advances, challenge assumptions about how tissues survive outside the body and hint at future possibilities in regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and biological research.“We haven’t grown a new, complete sea cucumber yet, but we are seeing pretty stunning growth and…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Discover Magazine.
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