Using Hydra to Understand Tissue Regeneration

Andy Fell — March 06, 2023 - 9:33am

The Greek hero Heracles fought a monster called the Hydra, which grew two new heads for each one he lopped off. Heracles was lucky he wasn’t fighting something with the regenerative ability of the real Hydra, which can re-grow its entire body from a few hundred cells. This simple water animal is helping scientists explore how some animals can regrow missing body parts.

Mapping Cells in the Immortal Regenerating Hydra

Andy Fell — July 25, 2019 - 2:37pm

The tiny hydra, a freshwater invertebrate related to jellyfish and corals, has an amazing ability to renew its cells and regenerate damaged tissue. Cut a hydra in half, and it will regenerate its body and nervous system in a couple of days. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have now traced the fate of the hydra’s cells, revealing how three lines of stem cells become nerves, muscles or other tissues.

Hydra Content

Using Hydra to Understand Tissue Regeneration

Mapping Cells in the Immortal Regenerating Hydra