Overview

• Starfish use autotomy to escape predators by shedding limbs, a process now linked to a specific neurohormone.
• The identified neurohormone, related to human cholecystokinin, causes muscle contractions that enable limb detachment.
• Researchers found that starfish can regenerate lost limbs, a capability that could inform human regenerative medicine.
• The study from Queen Mary University of London marks the first identification of an autotomy-triggering neurohormone in animals.
• Further research aims to understand the full mechanism of autotomy and its potential applications in medical science.