Can anyone explain the Turritopsis Dohrnii to me? The “immortal jellyfish, and one of the only immortal animals that we know of, but how? If it’s considered living then how does it not die?
In: Biology
It can die. However, it has a unique ability that allows it to reverse a lot of the damage it will accumulate throughout life.
They can return to the polyp stage of their life cycle. This would be like an old man returning to an embryonic state.
As animals grow, cells differentiate into other types of cell. Stem cells are the start of this and become everything. However, once a cell becomes something, the amount of things it can now become is less. Basically this is a one way path.
These jellyfish can somehow reverse this process, and make differentiated cells into lesser ones. The exact mechanics are not fully understood.
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