Cutaneous wound healing in the sea cucumber, Thyone briareus

Wound healing in the integument of the sea cucumber, Thyone briareus , was studied for up to 50 days after inflicting wide excisional wounds and for 14 days after producing incisional wounds. Rapid re‐epithelialization of the wound was effected by the migration of epidermal cells and pigment cells from the periphery of the wound margin. This occurred without apparent evidence of concomitant mitotic activity. Dermal wound healing was completed by the fourteenth day in the incision wounds but occurred very slowly in the broad excision wounds. Morula cells seem to be involved in both epidermal and dermal wound healing, although their precise role is unknown. In excisional wounds the integument was never completely restored to its normal appearance during 50 days of observation.