Detached Sea-Cucumber Tissue Survives and Regrows for Years in Seawater
Researchers found that sea cucumber tissue, when detached, remained alive, healed, and even grew for more than three years in ordinary seawater, defying the assumption that such tissue dies outside sterile labs. Explants from tube feet, body, and tentacles showed cell diversification, immune activity, and nutrient uptake from dissolved amino acids, creating a simple, long-lived model for regeneration with potential biomedical and educational uses. The work was published in Science Advances and involved Memorial University of Newfoundland and the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences.