So I was browsing my normal procrastination sites and came across this
Damn that's cool. I did some poking around and found out that most studies on the species have concluded that this process of trans-differentiation can be performed indefinitely.
The article goes on to talk about how there are too many of these damn things now, seeing as they never die and only multiply.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news … swarm.htmlNational Geographic wrote:
when starvation, physical damage, or other crises arise, "instead of sure death, [Turritopsis] transforms all of its existing cells into a younger state," said study author Maria Pia Miglietta, a researcher at Pennsylvania State University.
The jellyfish turns itself into a bloblike cyst, which then develops into a polyp colony, essentially the first stage in jellyfish life.
The jellyfish's cells are often completely transformed in the process. Muscle cells can become nerve cells or even sperm or eggs.
Through asexual reproduction, the resulting polyp colony can spawn hundreds of genetically identical jellyfish—near perfect copies of the original adult.
Damn that's cool. I did some poking around and found out that most studies on the species have concluded that this process of trans-differentiation can be performed indefinitely.
The article goes on to talk about how there are too many of these damn things now, seeing as they never die and only multiply.
Last edited by Pochsy (2009-03-22 19:52:52)
The shape of an eye in front of the ocean, digging for stones and throwing them against its window pane. Take it down dreamer, take it down deep. - Other Families
