health
The jellyfish that defies time
Just when we think we've seen it all, something comes along to surprise us. Such is the case of a marine creature that changes the rules of the game about aging and dying, because this animal, when it grows old and reaches the point of dying… is reborn!
TL;DR
- The Turritopsis dohrnii jellyfish can rejuvenate, reversing its life cycle when old, injured, or stressed.
- This process, called cell transdifferentiation, allows specialized cells to revert to a stem-cell-like state.
- While biologically immortal, the jellyfish can still die from predation, disease, or environmental damage.
- Scientists are studying its genome to understand tissue regeneration and cellular aging for potential medical applications.
- Other creatures, like some comb jellies, also exhibit similar developmental regression abilities.