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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Inducing Complete Polyp Regeneration from the Aboral Physa of the Starlet Sea Anemone Nematostella vectensis

Inducing Complete Polyp Regeneration from the Aboral Physa of the Starlet Sea Anemone Nematostella vectensis

Published on: January 14, 2017

Regeneration as an evolutionary variable.

J P Brockes¹, A Kumar, C P Velloso

¹Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University College London, UK. j.brockes@ucl.ac.uk

Journal of Anatomy

|August 29, 2001

Summary

Regeneration is a widespread trait in animals, not an exceptional one. This study explores why some species lose this ability, comparing newt and mammalian cell plasticity.

Area of Science:

Evolutionary Biology
Developmental Biology
Regenerative Medicine

Background:

Regeneration is a key trait in metazoan phylogeny, yet its presence and absence vary significantly even among closely related species.
Conventional evolutionary interpretations struggle to explain this variation, prompting new hypotheses regarding regeneration's evolutionary origins.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the evolutionary basis of regeneration, challenging the view of it as an independently evolved trait.
To explore the hypothesis that regeneration is a primordial metazoan attribute, with its absence due to secondary loss.
To compare cellular plasticity in newt (urodele amphibian) and mammalian cells as a potential mechanism explaining regenerative capacity differences.

Main Methods:

Phylogenetic analysis to infer the evolutionary history of regeneration.

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Comparative cell biology approach examining the plasticity of differentiated cells from newts and mammals.

Main Results:

Phylogenetic analysis suggests regeneration is a primordial trait in metazoans, not a convergent evolutionary development.
The study posits that the absence of regeneration in certain species is likely due to secondary loss rather than independent evolution.
Comparative analysis of cellular plasticity between newt and mammalian cells is underway to elucidate underlying mechanisms.

Conclusions:

Regeneration is likely an ancestral trait in metazoans, with its loss being a secondary phenomenon.
Understanding cellular plasticity differences is crucial for explaining the varying regenerative capabilities across species.
Further research comparing newt and mammalian cell differentiation plasticity is needed to fully understand regeneration's evolutionary puzzle.