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Stem cells were able to "postpone" their own death
A new study shows that stem cells are able to delay their apoptosis in order to participate in the elimination of trauma. The study was conducted on planarians – flatworms that are used as model organisms to study the mechanisms of regeneration. An article about the discovery was published in the journal Current Biology (Shiroor et al., Injury Delays Stem Cell Apoptosis after Radiation in Planarians).
Planarians are commonly used in basic research because of the similarity of some of their cellular mechanisms to human ones. Planarians have stem cells, some of their organs and genes are similar to human ones. However, these worms respond much better to injuries, healing them quickly. This is due to a larger proportion of stem cells and the lack of a developed immune system. The latter factor complicates the healing process in humans.
In a new study, Cornell University scientists exposed a planarium to radiation, and then injured half of them. Irradiated worms that were not injured showed a predicted level of stem cell death. The stem cells of the wounded worms, on the contrary, remained alive and grouped near the wound site to participate in its healing, thereby postponing their apoptosis after exposure to radiation.
Activation of the signaling protein ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) helps stem cells postpone apoptosis – VM.
Scientists were able to observe how stem cells are collected near the injury site using the method of sorting fluorescent-activated cells. The researchers also conducted a number of experiments with blocking the enzymes responsible for apoptosis. It turned out that their inhibition includes "delayed death" in stem cells. Thus, the researchers were able to show which enzymes are responsible for such an unusual function of planarian stem cells.
Now scientists intend to use the acquired knowledge to study similar processes in the human body. In the future, the authors want to find out the main mechanisms that control such behavior of stem cells and learn how to control them. They also report that they have discovered a gene that is necessary for delayed apoptosis of stem cells after irradiation and injury and plan to use it as a starting point for future work.
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