ABSTRACT
Clytia hemisphaerica is a widely distributed jellyfish whose biology has been studied in laboratories since the end of the nineteenth century. Clytia studies have increased knowledge of cnidarian biology and more widely of important processes of metazoan biology. This organism has many advantages for experimental biology, like the transparency of the embryonic and adult tissues, allowing imaging at all life stages, and the possibility to complete the whole life cycle in the laboratory, ensuring a constant supply in animals. Clytia cultured strains, developed since 2002, have allowed the development of new tools for cellular and molecular analysis. The Clytia hemisphaerica genome is now sequenced, and mutant lines are being used to test gene function in biological processes. Clytia is proving to be a useful model for studying various biological questions like regeneration, stem cell differentiation and oogenesis. This chapter aims to provide a state-of-the-art picture of the biology of Clytia and its current use in laboratories and to introduce some challenging questions that Clytia can help to address.
