From salamander tails to deer antlers, the innate ability of some animals to regenerate lost body parts has captivated scientists for centuries and driven research into the molecular mechanisms of such healing in the hopes that humans might someday be able to do the same.
Even amongst regenerating organisms, hydras—not the mythical beasts, but aquatic animals in the genus Hydra—stand out for their ability to regrow any part of their body after it's lopped off, including their heads. Now, a study published last week (December 8) in Genome Biology and Evolution sheds new light on the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that allow these animals to achieve this regenerative feat.
Hydra vulgaris are 1-to 3-centimeter-long, tube-shaped, freshwater organisms that adhere to objects such as sticks and rocks and, much like their relatives the sea anemone and jellyfish, hunt using stinging tentacles. They are considered to be immortal. Unless something comes along ...
