Tissue survives outside the body and challenges knowledge about life and death

A discovery made by researchers at Memorial University in Canada is challenging fundamental biological concepts about life, death and aging. A study published in the scientific journal "Science Advances" revealed that fragments of tissue from a species of sea cucumber remained alive for more than three years after being separated from the animal's body.

Scientists observed that these fragments not only survived, but maintained several biological functions considered typical of living organisms. They healed wounds, reorganized their internal structures, absorbed nutrients from the environment and continued to display cellular and immunological activity.

The team began calling the fragments "zombie tissue" because they exist in a kind of gray zone between life and death. They are not complete organisms, they cannot reproduce nor do they transform into new individuals. Yet they remain active and functional for periods that, until now, were considered impossible for isolated complex tissues.

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A discovery made by chance
It all started after a routine experiment in researcher Sara Jobson's laboratory.

Small fragments of tissue from a sea cucumber of the species Psolus fabricii were left in tanks with running seawater. The material was expected to deteriorate quickly, as happens with practically any animal tissue separated from its body. But that didn't happen. After weeks, the tissues remained intact. After months, they were still alive.

A living tube foot after several years - Credits: Mercier Lab
Over the years, researchers realized that they were facing a phenomenon that had never been documented. From this unexpected observation, the team began a detailed investigation to understand how those fragments managed to survive.

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Wounds heal within a few days
Experiments showed that tissues reacted immediately to separation.

In the first few days, the injured areas underwent an intense cellular cleansing process. Damaged parts were eliminated while new cells emerged to repair the injuries. In less than a week, all the samples analyzed had completely closed the wounds caused by the cut.

The researchers also recorded constant activity of mitosis, the process responsible for cell division, and apoptosis, the mechanism by which damaged cells are eliminated in a programmed manner. The combination of these processes allowed tissues to continually reorganize.

In addition, immune cells known as coelomocytes migrated to the injured regions, helping to fight possible infections and remove damaged material.

Active cellular processes (mitosis and apoptosis) in tube foot explants between 0 and 6 days after excision (DPE) - Credits: Mercier Lab
How can tissues survive without a mouth or digestive system?
One of the scientists' biggest questions was where the energy needed to keep the tissues functioning came from. The answer came after tests that analyzed the absorption of nutrients present in seawater.

The experiments demonstrated that the fragments were able to absorb dissolved amino acids directly from the environment. The capacity was especially intense during the first few weeks after separation, when the energetic demand for healing was greatest. According to the authors, tissues can also reuse internal reserves to sustain their biological activities.

The result means that, even without a mouth, stomach or digestive system, the fragments are able to obtain enough resources to stay alive.

Another aspect that drew attention was the environment in which the tissues survived. Normally, maintaining cells or tissues outside organisms requires highly controlled laboratories, sterile environments and specific chemical solutions to avoid contamination. In the case of the Psolus fabricii fragments, none of this was necessary.

The fabrics remained in natural seawater, rich in bacteria, fungi, microorganisms and organic particles. Even so, they remained alive.

Healed tube feet of a sea cucumber - Credits: Mercier Lab
For researchers, this resistance suggests the existence of extremely efficient immunological and biochemical mechanisms, capable of protecting the fragments against infections and degradation.

Growth continues even after years
Observations have shown that tissues have undergone significant changes over time. Initially, the fragments decreased in size after cutting. Months later, they recovered their original dimensions. In some cases, they even became larger than they were immediately after being removed from the animal. Internally, the structure was also reorganized.

The muscular tissues gradually disappeared, while the connective tissue began to occupy most of the fragment. According to the authors, this may represent an adaptation to reduce energy expenditure with structures that no longer perform an important function outside the original organism. Even after more than three years, researchers found no clear signs of aging or functional decline.

Tube foot explants at different observation periods, expressed in days after excision (DPE), over 2.5 years - Credits: Mercier Lab
Phenomenon was not observed in other species
To verify whether the ability was common among echinoderms - a group that includes sea stars, sea urchins and sea cucumbers - the scientists repeated the experiments on several species. The results were different.

Although some tissues managed to survive for a few weeks or months, they all ended up degrading. None showed the longevity observed in Psolus fabricii. This suggests that the characteristic may be exclusive to the species studied or depend on biological mechanisms that are still unknown.

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What could this mean for science?
Researchers say they still don't know what evolutionary advantage explains this phenomenon. They also avoid claiming that the fabrics are truly immortal. What the study demonstrates is that they remained alive and functional for more than three years without showing obvious signs of deterioration.

The discovery could have important implications for areas such as regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, studies on aging and the development of new biological models for research. Furthermore, so-called "zombie tissues" may offer a rare opportunity to study how complex structures can maintain vital functions autonomously for extremely long periods.

For the authors, the main conclusion is that the results challenge one of the most basic premises of modern biology: that complex tissues inevitably die shortly after being separated from the organism to which they belong.

Source: CNN