healing factor

What makes its power unique? Why does it need this power?

One of the species of Stentor, namely Stentor coeruleus (translating to "dark blue trumpet") can heal very large wounds up to half of its cell size, at least 100 to 1,000 times faster than most other cells can heal. It can regenerate (i.e., make a complete cell) entirely from a tiny fragment as small as 4% of its original size within 8-12 hours! Just like a superhero healing from an injury in a matter of moments, Stentor coeruleus can restore itself to full functionality after regeneration. For most human cells, when you cut them, they just blow up. For Stentor, not only do they not blow up, they can heal and regenerate! This superpower is important for the survival of Stentor, because the organism can repair itself after damage, and continue its normal functions.

How can Stentor heal from such drastic wounds?

This is one of the longstanding mysteries! Scientists are still trying to figure out what is the secret to Stentor's superhealing and regenerative power. One special thing about Stentor is that it has many copies of its DNA. As long as the fragment has enough copies of the DNA, it can heal and regenerate. 

Obviously, there is a lot more to it, and that's what scientists and engineers (including us) are trying to find out! Some of the tools we use include state-of-the-art microscopes and sequencing. We also design cell cutters (we call them "microfluidic guillotines") so that we can measure and quantify the healing power of Stentor that is impossible by doing old-school surgery by hand.

Why is it important to study Stentor?

The ability of this single-celled organism to recover and rejuvenate itself highlights the incredible potential for understanding healing processes and, potentially, applying these insights to human health. Some of the principles may also apply to the design of the next generation of micro-robots. 

So, next time you hear about Stentor coeruleus, think of it as a microscopic superhero, demonstrating the amazing power of self-healing and teaching us valuable lessons about cellular regeneration!

Wow, Stentor is so cool, where can I find them? 

You can find them in freshwater ponds throughout the world. We have been able to find them in a pond in the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, CA, and near Plymouth, MA.

How can I learn more?

Tang, S. K. Y.,  & Marshall, W. F. (2017). Self-healing cells: How single cells heal membrane ruptures and restore lost structures. Science, 356, 1022-1025.

Slabodnick, M. M., & Marshall, W. F. (2014). Stentor coeruleus. Current Biology, 24(17), R783-4.

Blauch, L. R., Gai, Y., Khor, J. W., Sood, P., Marshall, W. F., & Tang, S. K. Y (2017). Microfluidic guillotine for single-cell wound repair studies. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114, 7283-7288.