Sex and Regeneration

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Tissue regeneration is found in plants and some animal species. The regeneration process is ubiquitous to all multicellular organisms. Regeneration ranges from healing wounded tissue to whole body neoforming (remaking of the new body). In this larger context, regeneration is one facet of two propagation schemes that dominate the evolution of life. Multicellular organisms can propagate asexually or sexually, and regeneration is a form of asexual propagation. The hypothesis presented here claims that the ability to regenerate is determined by the sexual state of the multicellular organisms (from simple animals such as hydra and planaria to plants and complex animals). The above hypothesis is supported by showing evidence that many organisms, organs, or tissues show inhibited or diminished regeneration capacity when in reproductive status compared to organs or tissues in nonreproductive conditions or by exposure to sex hormones. ABSTRACT: Regeneration is usually regarded as a unique plant or some animal species process. In reality, regeneration is a ubiquitous process in all multicellular organisms. It ranges from response to wounding by healing the wounded tissue to whole body neoforming (remaking of the new body). In a larger context, regeneration is one facet of two reproduction schemes that dominate the evolution of life. Multicellular organisms can propagate their genes asexually or sexually. Here I present the view that the ability to regenerate tissue or whole-body regeneration is also determined by the sexual state of the multicellular organisms (from simple animals such as hydra and planaria to plants and complex animals). The above idea is manifested here by showing evidence that many organisms, organs, or tissues show inhibited or diminished regeneration capacity when in reproductive status compared to organs or tissues in nonreproductive conditions or by exposure to sex hormones.