Scientists at the University of Puerto Rico have discovered that sea cucumbers heal better than most animals in the world by directing their healing abilities toward their organs first. Scientists have long known that sea cucumbers belong to an exclusive group of creatures that is capable of both healing their wounds and regenerating parts of their body. The finding is particularly interesting because, contrary to popular belief, sea cucumbers use the same kind of healing that humans do to regenerate and fix their organs. Said Professor Garcia-Arraras of UP, "Many people, including scientists, regard sea cucumbers and other echinoderms like star fish and brittle stars as bizarre, exceptional outcasts because of their regenerative abilities. But we've shown that they use the same 'ordinary' mechanisms and processes to both regenerate and heal wounds."
There are some wounds that sea cucumbers cannot heal their way out of...
The scientists first cut a 3-5 mm incision in the cucumbers and then watched them over a 4 week healing period. In that time, a special cell called morula cells moved to the site of the incision and accomplished full healing in a short amount of time.
The study is one piece on a path toward human limb and organ regeneration. "Sea cucumbers will probably provide us with the key to deciphering how to regenerate our tissues, or at least find out what is needed to do this," said Garcia-Arraras. Easy there on the definitive predictions, Weapon X, but it's definitely a step in the right direction.
The University of Puerto Rico experiment has ethical as well as scientific ramifications
Comments
Just imagine the "male enhancement" potential of this revolutionary finding.
Posted by: milkshake | October 18, 2007 7:45 PM
Heh, serendipitous of this discovery to come out now, with the release of Bioshock a few weeks ago. There's a mutant sea slug with regenerative properties at the center of the storyline, although it's under layers of dystopic story trope.
Plus, any scientific discovery that puts me *this* much closer to having tele-and-pyro-kinesis gets an A in my book-because that means roasted marshmallows anytime you want, without a stick!
*wins a gold medal for Olympian leaps in logic*
Posted by: Jenbug | October 19, 2007 9:21 AM
Great comment. I heart Bioshock, but not in a gay way.
Posted by: Andrew Bleiman | October 19, 2007 11:15 AM
I like how you have a whole category called sea cucumber. :)
Posted by: katherine sharpe | October 19, 2007 1:56 PM
why has Logan wired his genetalia into a cassette player?
Posted by: Drhoz! | October 23, 2007 9:50 AM
here in the states, it's what we call good times, great oldies!
Posted by: andrew | October 23, 2007 10:30 AM
Thanks Benny! I'm so glad cukes are finally getting the attention they deserve!
Aside from their regenerative abilities, products from these fascinating critters are sold as canine arthritis medication and supposedly have aphrodisiac qualities for humans (though I cannot attest to that). They also secrete a toxin like many echinoderms that I became sensitized to over time. I only had rashes before I changed my research environment, but workers involved in processing plants eventually suffered from respiratory problems.
Why be toxic? Well, adult cucumaria frondosa do not have natural predators for the most part, so their toxicity likely evolved as a means to protect this otherwise sessile, slow moving animal.
Posted by: Sheril R. Kirshenbaum | October 23, 2007 4:24 PM