Zombie sea cucumbers and the future of tissue engineering

It’s pretty cool, but not exactly news, that lizards can regrow their tails and starfish can regenerate arms. However, the lost or discarded body parts typically decay and die within a few days or weeks. Not so for those of at least one kind of sea cucumber. Researchers have found that detached tissue from these marine invertebrates can remain alive independently for years. Their findings could have a real impact on how we understand tissue culture, regeneration and aging in medical science. Saugat Bolakhe takes us beneath the surface for SN.

🧟‍♂️ The ‘zombie project’

The scientists behind the study playfully dubbed their research “our ‘zombie project'” after a weird turn of events. During a tank transfer, the researchers found that some of the creatures’ podia, small tubelike appendages the sea cucumbers use to move, had been left behind and were later found to still be sticking around. The scientists continued to study these disembodied parts, eventually experimenting with intentionally “excised podia explants” (read: they cut off some pieces to see what would happen) and found that in flowing seawater, they not only survived but also showed rapid changes in wound healing within the first week.