Ross Granville Harrison (1870-1959) and perspectives on regeneration.

Historical case studies can serve as cautionary tales, reminding us to reflect on underlying assumptions and on limitations of any particular approach. Ross Harrison's work recorded at the beginning and end of his career in the Journal of Experimental Zoology reveal his own morphological and experimental convictions, as they played out in his studies of regeneration. A closer look at this particular example of Harrison's contributions offers a perspective from which to view current studies of regenerative phenomena and assumptions about appropriate research approaches and the driving questions involved.