Acetabularia is a genus of
green algae, specifically of the
Polyphysaceae family, Typically found in subtropical waters,
Acetabularia is a single-celled organism, but gigantic in size and complex in form, making it an excellent model organism for studying
cell biology. In form, the mature
Acetabularia resembles the round leaves of a
nasturtium, is 0.5 to 10 cm tall and has three anatomical parts: a bottom rhizoid that resembles a set of short roots; a long stalk in the middle; and a top umbrella of branches that may fuse into a cap. The single nucleus of
Acetabularia is located in the rhizoid, and allows the cell to regenerate completely if its cap is removed. The caps of two
Acetabularia may also be exchanged, even from two different species. In addition, if a piece of the stem is removed, with no access to the nucleus in the rhizoid, this isolated stem piece will also grow a new cap.