Life and death are considered to be opposite states of the organism, and the only ones. But according to the latest research, scientists believe that there is a third state. It occurs after the death of multicellular life forms, including humans. According to scientists, this state lies beyond the traditional boundaries of life and death. True, we are not talking about the entire organism, but about its individual cells, which can exist even after death. But, what is most interesting, they are transformed and united into multicellular organisms that acquire completely new functions.
After the death of an organism, some cells can form new forms of life. Photo source: bbc.com
Contents
- 1 How a new state of cells arises after death
- 2 In what cases do cells continue to live after the death of an organism
- 3 How cells interact with each other after the death of the organism
- 4 Human cells are more flexible than expected
How a new state of cells arises after death
Death is considered an irreversible process, which implies the cessation of the functioning of the organism. However, we know examples when its individual parts continue to function long after death – these are donor organs. However, donor organs do not live on their own, but become part of a new organism, and they are not transformed.
The new study by scientists describes a completely different example. As mentioned above, some cells are capable of transforming into multicellular organisms, but only if they are provided with nutrients, oxygen, bioelectricity, or biochemical signals. And according to the authors of the work, the third state they discovered challenges the existing understanding of cell behavior.
Some cells unite and transform after the death of an organism. Photo source: new-science.ru
For example, as researchers report, human lung cells can self-organize into miniature multicellular organisms that can even move. And anthropobots, as scientists call them, can repair themselves and damaged neural cells that are nearby.
In what cases do cells continue to live after the death of an organism
There are several factors that affect the ability of certain cells and tissue to live and function after the death of an organism. Such factors include, for example, the environment and metabolic activity.
Active cells, which constantly require a large influx of energy, have a harder time surviving than cells with a lower energy requirement. Innate survival mechanisms also play an important role. For example, scientists have found that in some cells, after the death of an organism, the activity of genes associated with stress, as well as genes associated with immunity, increases.
An anthropobot formed by a group of cells that survived the death of an organism. Photo source: livescience.com
This activity may compensate for the loss of homeostasis, that is, the body's ability to maintain itself. Factors such as injury, infection, and time since death also determine the viability of tissues and cells.
How cells interact with each other after the death of an organism
In order for individual cells to function harmoniously after the death of an organism and form a third form, they must interact with each other. But how they interact with each other remains a mystery. According to one hypothesis, specialized channels and pumps built into the outer membranes of cells are complex electrical circuits.
It is possible that through these chains, cells can communicate with each other and jointly perform certain functions, which include, for example, growth, movement, the structure of a new “organism”, etc.
It remains a mystery to scientists how cells interact with each other. Photo source: depositphotos.com
The extent to which cells can transform also remains a mystery. Some studies have previously shown that after the death of an organism, genes involved in stress, immunity, and epigenetic regulation are activated in the cells of mice and humans. The activation of these genes may indicate that the cells have greater potential for transformation.
Human cells are more flexible than previously thought
The results of this study challenge the idea that human cells can only develop in a certain way (with the exception of stem cells, which are always plastic). In fact, the cells demonstrated high plasticity, but they acquire this property after the death of the organism. That is, death can play a certain role in the transformation of life.
According to the researchers, the knowledge gained opens up prospects for new treatment methods. For example, anthropobots can be used to deliver drugs to certain parts of the body without causing an immune response. They can also be used to dissolve arterial plaques, remove excess mucus in patients with cystic fibrosis, etc.
Be sure to visit our Zen and Telegram channels, where you will find the most interesting news from the world of science and the latest discoveries!
In addition, understanding how some cells are transformed into multicellular formations after a certain time after the death of the organism may be useful in other areas of medicine, for example, preventive medicine.