Dissociation and reaggregation of Hydra vulgaris for studies of self-organization

The remarkable regenerative abilities of the small cnidarian Hydra vulgaris include the capacity to reassemble itself after dissociation into individual cells. Here, we present a robust protocol for the dissociation and reaggregation of Hydra tissue that addresses many common challenges encountered during the preparation and execution of the dissociation, as well as the formation and care of regenerating cellular aggregates. Analysis of the process provides insight into the mechanisms of nervous system self-organization. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Lovas and Yuste (2021).