Scientists have observed sea cucumber partshealing, absorbing nutrients, and functioning for years after detaching from the organism. The study is the first to document amputated tissue living long term in a natural setting.
Marine invertebrates, including sea urchins and starfish, are known for their regenerative capabilities. In this case, researchers observed expelled limbs from the sea cucumber Psolus fabricii (see image) healing and growing for days. To investigate further, they amputated dozens of tube feet, ambulacra, and tentacles from three sea cucumbers, returning them to seawater. In the days after amputation, tissues healed at the site of detachment. They also absorbed dissolved amino acids and displayed immune activity, neutralizing pathogens and expelling dead and dying cells for upward of three years in seawater.
The detached parts showed no signs of degeneration. However, there was also no indication the tissue was on track to regrow the rest of the sea cucumber, unlike flatworms.
