Sea Cucumber Tissue Lives for Years Outside Body
Scientists found that detached tissue from a scarlet sea cucumber kept dividing and reorganizing for more than three years in the lab.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Life Sciences
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Researchers studying Psolus fabricii, a scarlet sea cucumber from frigid North Atlantic and Arctic waters, found that tube feet broken off during a procedure healed and absorbed nutrients from seawater. Detached tissue continued cell division and showed no signs of aging or decay when the experiment ended.
Why it matters
In contrast, tissue from sea stars and sea urchins broke down within weeks or months under the same conditions. The findings highlight how differently species can regenerate and maintain tissue after injury.
Detached tissue fragments were kept in flowing natural seawater, and their functional lifespan exceeded three years, while sea star and sea urchin tissue broke down within weeks or months. Researchers plan to examine the cells' DNA to determine whether they show signs of aging.
The players
Psolus fabricii
The scarlet sea cucumber, a marine invertebrate that inhabits the frigid waters of the North Atlantic and Arctic.
The details
Researchers removed sections from the tube feet, body and tentacles of the scarlet sea cucumber and placed the fragments in flowing natural seawater containing microbes. The detached fragments healed their wounds within days and absorbed amino acids directly from the seawater.
Timeline
Within days: detached fragments' wounds closed in the lab experiment.
Within weeks or months: sea star and sea urchin tissue broke down.
More than three years: detached tissue kept functioning before the experiment ended.
Big Picture
The finding extends comparative echinoderm regeneration research, which has largely documented rapid tissue breakdown in sea stars and sea urchins. It shows that some echinoderm tissue can persist and function far longer than those better-studied relatives.
The research could eventually inform medical approaches to tissue repair and longevity, though commercialization timelines are not yet known. Its immediate relevance to daily life is limited while the work remains at the laboratory stage.
The takeaway
Some animals maintain detached tissue far longer than others, which may reveal new strategies for cellular repair. Scientists continue to examine how these cells age and whether similar mechanisms could be studied in other species.
Further reading
For more on how living systems repair and sustain themselves, explore our Life Sciences coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by New York Post.
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