Cell Transplants Illuminate Evolutionary Links in Animal Origins

WHO:

Nature - Stanislav Kremnyov, a developmental biologist at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena in Germany, is leading the research.

Nature - Ulrich Technau, an evolutionary developmental biologist at the University of Vienna, commented on the findings.

Nature - Andreas Hejnol, a developmental biologist at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, is Kremnyov's supervisor and co-author of the study.

WHAT:

Nature - Researchers transplanted cells between embryos of a comb jelly (Mnemiopsis leidyi) and a starlet sea anemone (Nematostella vectensis).

Nature - The transplantation resulted in the formation of extra mouths and pharynxes in the host sea anemone.

Phys.org - The study published in the journal Nature reveals that cnidarians possess an embryonic signaling center, which is crucial for body axis development.

WHERE:

Nature - The research was conducted at Friedrich Schiller University Jena in Germany.

Nature - The comb jelly (Mnemiopsis leidyi) and starlet sea anemone (Nematostella vectensis) are marine organisms involved in the study.

WHEN:

Nature - The study was published in the journal Nature on June 17.

WHY:

Nature - The researchers argue that the appearance of an embryonic organizer helped transform single-celled organisms into animals.

HOW:

Nature - The study involved the transplantation of embryonic cells during the gastrulation process, which occurs hours after fertilization in comb jellies.

(UPDATED June 18, 2026 18:07 UTC)

Researchers at Friedrich Schiller University Jena in Germany have made a significant discovery involving the transplantation of cells between embryos of a comb jelly and a starlet sea anemone, which resulted in the formation of extra mouths and pharynxes in the host sea anemone. The study, co-authored by Stanislav Kremnyov and his supervisor Andreas Hejnol, reveals that cnidarians possess an embryonic signaling center essential for body axis development, suggesting that this organizer played a crucial role in the evolution of multicellular animals. Ulrich Technau from the University of Vienna commented on these findings, highlighting their importance in understanding how single-celled organisms transformed into complex animals.