The Key of Human Evolution: Turritopsis Nutricula
In this article, I will describe the characteristics and life cycle of Turritopsis Nutricula, which will play a major role in the future evolution of mankind.
Turritopsis Nutricula, also known as the “immortal jellyfish”, is a small, biologically immortal jellyfish species found in temperate and tropical waters worldwide. This jellyfish species is in the category of “biologically immortal creatures”. Creatures in this category never die as long as they are not subjected to physical violence and technically they can continue their lineage forever. In this respect, it can be said that they are very interesting and intriguing animals.
To do this, Turritopsis Nutricula is able to fully revert to the sexually immature colony stage after reaching sexual maturity as a solitary individual.
The medusa of Turritopsis Nutricula is bell-shaped, about 4.5 millimeters in maximum diameter, and is generally the same size as its width and length. The mesoglea on the walls of the bell are largely equally thin, except for some thickening at the apex. Its relatively large stomach is bright red and has the shape of a cross in cross section. Young specimens with a diameter of 1 millimeter have only eight tentacles evenly spaced along the margin, while adult specimens have 80–90 tentacles. Medusa (the jellyfish form) has dense neural network cells in the epidermis of the head. This neural network forms a large ring-like structure above the radial canal commonly found in knidles.
Turritopsis Nutricula also has a bottom-dwelling polyp form, or hydroid, consisting of stolons along the substrate and upright branches with nutritive polyps capable of producing medusa buds. These polyps develop into small 1-millimeter medusae that are freed from the main hydroid colony and are able to swim and move within a few days.
Polyp Phase
The polyp phase celandines resemble a plant rather than an animal. They live at the water bottom without being physically displaced, fixing themselves with a root. They hunt with their tentacles in their mouths and live in this way. In polyp phase animals reproduce asexually by “budding”. In other words, a part of themselves is separated from a part of their body and a whole is built from that part. Thus, a single coelenter will multiply into 2 copies of the same coienter.
Medusa Phase
Later, with the continuation of their developmental stages, these creatures pass into the Medusa Stage. During the Medusa Phase, their bodies take the more familiar bell or umbrella shape. They have long tentacles, which we are familiar with from jellyfish, and can often move as they please. These cetaceans, who no longer lead a stable life, hunt more in line with the usual definition of “animal”. At this stage, the celienters no longer reproduce asexually, but sexually.
Lifecycle Manipulation
The life cycle in jellyfish always starts as a polyp, enters the Medusa Stage, produces offspring by sexual reproduction and dies. The offspring grow through the polyp stage, and this is how the cycle continues, just like in a normal animal. Many jellyfish complete this cycle.
Except for Turritopsis Nutricula! Unlike all other jellyfish, this species has the ability to return to the Polyp Stage despite reaching the Medusa Stage! In other words, the life cycle we mentioned above reverses at some point in these creatures. The offspring experience the Polyp Stage, develop and enter the Medusa Stage, reproduce sexually and produce offspring polyps normally. However, they can then revert themselves back to the Polyp Stage when they should age and die! In this way, death does not occur as a result of aging, and an individual continues to live by turning himself into a polyp instead of constantly getting old and dying. This can be thought of as a 90-year-old human being able to return to 18 years of age.
This feature gives Turritopsis Nutricula a theoretical immortality.
Scientific Researches on Turritopsis Nutricula
Scientists are performing molecular and genetic analyzes to understand the transdifferentiation process in Turritopsis Nutricula. Factors such as the jellyfish’s genetic makeup, cell signaling and gene expression are examined. These studies offer important clues for understanding how jellyfish rejuvenate and how their cells are reprogrammed.
However, it is currently not possible to fully transfer Turritopsis Nutricula’s immortality ability to humans. The characteristics and biological processes of these jellyfish differ from the complexity of the human organism. However, such studies are important for understanding aging processes and cellular decline.
Understanding the properties of immortal creatures such as Turritopsis Nutricula may provide important information for future advances in anti-aging strategies or regenerative medicine. Regenerative medicine has great potential as a field that targets the regeneration of damaged or aged tissues. Therefore, scientists are trying to understand the characteristics of such creatures and are conducting studies to adapt similar processes in humans.
However, more research and development is needed in this area. Further studies and experiments are needed to fully understand the immortality ability of Turritopsis Nutricula and to apply a similar process in humans.
IF…
If scientists could fully understand the immortality ability of Turritopsis Nutricula and transfer it to humans, this could have many potential implications. Here are some of these possible effects:
1- Stopping aging: Being able to transfer the properties of Turritopsis nutricula to humans could mean slowing or stopping the aging process. As cells recycle and rejuvenate, the likelihood of aging-related diseases may decrease.
2- Treatment of diseases: Understanding and applying the process of transdifferentiation can have great potential in the treatment of various diseases. The ability of cells to regenerate damaged or diseased tissues can offer new approaches in the treatment of many health problems such as heart diseases, neurological disorders, degenerative diseases.
3- Reducing the need for organ transplants: Transferring the characteristics of Turritopsis nutricula to humans may be a great hope for patients awaiting organ transplants. Being able to recycle and reprogram cells can mean repairing or regenerating damaged organs in the body, reducing the need for organ transplants.
4- Healing of injuries: The ability of cells to be reprogrammed can allow for faster healing of injuries and tissue regeneration. In particular, significant progress can be made in the treatment of conditions that are considered irreversible, such as spinal cord injuries.
5- Space travel and colonization: In projects aimed at long-term space travel or colonization in space, transferring the characteristics of Turritopsis Nutricula to humans can extend lifespan in space. Reducing the negative effects of aging and radiation in space could enable humans to continue their missions in space longer.
The above-mentioned effects are possible potentials if the characteristics of Turritopsis Nutricula are fully understood and transferred to humans.
In this article, we examined the importance of Turritopsis Nitrucula, which will play a major role in the evolution of humanity in the future.
