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It's alive! -

Stories like 'Frankenstein' explore the idea of reviving the dead. While this might seem like science fiction, recent studies suggest a "third state" of existence may be a reality in modern biology.

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Redefining death -

If further experiments on cells from dead animals, including humans, confirm this ability, our concept of legal death could be redefined.

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What is the "third state"? -

Researchers from the University of Washington and City of Hope National Medical Center revealed in a new study in the journal Physiology that a "third state" occurs when cells from a deceased organism continue to function after its death.

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Cellular upgrade -

According to the study, the cells sometimes even gained new capabilities they never had while the organism was alive.

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Transformation -

This happens when certain cells—when given nutrients, oxygen, bioelectricity, or biochemical signals—reorganize and transform into new multicellular organisms.

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Cell bots? -

In 2021, US scientists discovered that skin cells from dead frogs could form multicellular organisms, or "xenobots," in a lab environment.

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Moving along -

These xenobots, using hair-like structures called cilia, moved and behaved in ways that surpassed their original biological purpose.

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Self-healing abilities -

They also proved to be able to collect materials, record information, self-heal, and replicate to a limited extent.

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More cell bots -

In a 2023 study published in Advanced Science, researchers also discovered that human lung cells could self-organize into tiny multicellular organisms called "anthrobots."

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Healing other cells -

Anthrobots, ranging in size from a human hair to a pencil tip, self-assemble and demonstrate they can heal other cells.

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Medical breakthrough -

The ability of anthrobots to move, self-repair, and heal nerve cells, surpassing xenobots, holds promise for future medical applications.

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How does it work? -

But what exactly allows cells to function in the third state after an organism dies?

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Electrical boost -

Following a Frankenstein-like hypothesis, researchers suggest that a hidden system of electrical circuits might reanimate cells.

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Connected system -

These circuits seem to pump electrical signals that allow cells to communicate, grow, move, and form new organisms.

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Entering the third state -

Several factors, including temperature and energy availability, determine whether cells can enter the third state.

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Fuel source -

Access to "fuel," whether from the hidden electrical system or artificial lab sources, and the cells' ability to metabolize it are crucial for post-mortem survival and function.

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Cell ID -

Age, health, sex, and species type also influence a cell's ability to enter the third state.

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What's next? -

For researchers, the results are promising as they consider the research a significant step toward bringing animal cells, and a wider range of human cells, into this third state.

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Treatment innovation -

This discovery not only reveals the incredible adaptability of cells but also promises innovative medical treatments.

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Mini-doctors -

For example: using a person's own living tissue, specialists could create anthrobots that would deliver medication to damaged cells without triggering an immune response.

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Use cases -

These engineered anthrobots could dissolve arterial plaque in atherosclerosis patients.

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Use cases -

Another use case would be to clear excess mucus in patients with cystic fibrosis, a severe inherited disorder affecting the lungs, digestive system, and other organs.

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Is it safe? -

Researchers argue that anthrobots are biodegradable and safe, with a limited lifespan and lab-bound existence.

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Is it safe? -

This would eliminate concerns of external exposure or uncontrolled proliferation.

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What if... -

However, using elements of deceased organisms to create new life remains controversial. This theme, with its potentially catastrophic consequences, has been explored in numerous pop culture references, such as the 1985 movie 'Re-Animator.'

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Dangerous outcome -

In the '80s cult film, a medical student discovers how to re-animate dead tissue, leading to a series of horrifying events as the reanimated corpses exhibit a frenetic, zombie-like state.

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Positive outlook -

Sci-fi exaggerations aside, researchers believe the third state holds great promise. "This research has the potential to transform regenerative medicine, redefine legal death, and provide insights into life's physiological limits (...)”, they concluded.

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Positive outlook -

The anthrobots study authors hope to observe similar "healing" behavior in human neurodegenerative diseases. They suggest potential applications like repairing damaged retinas or spinal cords, though these remain speculative.

Sources: (Earth.com) (Daily Mail) (Scientific American)

See also: Weird things that happen to your body when you die

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