A shining starlet: Nematostella vectensis as a model for developmental, regenerative, and comparative biology

The sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis, has been used as a model organism in developmental biology studies for many years. This estuarine species has the notable capacity to regenerate its full body plan from small pieces throughout life. Nematostella have been described as having a great degree of cellular plasticity. The recent sequencing of the Nematostella genome and the development of transgenesis technology have stimulated greater interest in this species, emerging as a versatile model bridging molecular genetics, evolutionary development, regeneration, and environmental biology. Its genomic accessibility, robust regenerative abilities, and basal phylogenetic position make it uniquely suited for addressing fundamental questions about animal evolution, development, and adaptation to a changing world. Here, we provide an overview of the Nematostella life cycle, paired with a historical overview of the main areas of biological research Nematostella have traditionally used for and a perspective on how Nematostella may be useful for future biomedical research.