How a tiny and strange marine animal produces unlimited eggs and sperm over its lifetime

(NIH/National Human Genome Research Institute) During human embryonic development, a small pool of germ cells that will eventually become gametes is set aside, and all sperm or eggs that humans produce during their lives are the descendants of those original few germ cells. But a strange and tiny animal called Hydractinia forms germ cells continuously in adult life -- hence producing unlimited eggs and sperm.

Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - February 13, 2020 Category: Biology Source Type: news