Scientists found that a 4th of the progenitor cells in the testis are “murdered” by phagocytes, regardless of the truth that these cells are refraining from doing anything “wrong.”
University of Haifa research study has actually determined killer cells.
A procedure that includes the “murder” of living, newly-generated cells has actually been found for the very first time in current research study carried out at the University ofHaifa The research study, which was explained in the respected journal Science Advances, found that throughout the cellular distinction procedure in fruit flies, phagocytic cells take in and ruin healthy living cells.
“We found that phagocytes can function as ‘murderers.’ It is well-known that phagocytic cells swallow and dissolve dead cells, but we show for the first time that they also kill newly-created normal cells. Essentially we have characterized a new mechanism of cell death. The more we know the mechanisms of cell death, the better we understand how to cope with various diseases, particularly cancer”, described Professor Hilla Toledano, head of the Department of Human Biology at the University of Haifa and author of the research study.
The origin of numerous physical tissues, consisting of skin, hair, stomach, and testicles, might be traced back to stem cells. By continually providing brand-new cells to change the old ones, these effective stem cells allow tissue replenishment. Each stem cell in this procedure divides into 2 cells, among which is maintained for usage in the future and the other of which establishes to replace the lost cell in the tissue.
In the present examination, Professor Toledano, Professor Estee Kurant, and a group of researchers from the University of Haifa took a look at the sex cells of fruit flies. Since lots of molecular procedures in fruit flies and people are comparable, they can be utilized as an efficient design in this circumstance.
Fruit fly research studies work due to the capability to keep an eye on procedures in live tissues and the simpleness of hereditary change, which permits the precise recognition of cellular procedures. Six Nobel Prizes have actually been provided throughout the years to researchers who found biological systems in fruit flies that are saved in people.
As formerly pointed out, the department of a stem cell into 2 cells– a stem cell and a cell called a progenitor– starts the distinction procedure of sperms in male fruit flies. This procedure continues up until practical sperms are formed. The scientists currently understood that one-fourth of these progenitor cells die and do not turn into sperms from previous research studies. The function of today research study was to much better comprehend what occurs to these cells.
The body has a reputable and essential system called cell death. Under typical scenarios, cells have the capability to “commit suicide” when an extreme anomaly has actually happened or after they have actually served their function. Phagocytes pertain to “eat” passing away cells, efficiently taking their contents away and liquifying them. It is understood that phagocytes often “eat” body immune system cells that have actually completed their task of safeguarding the body versus burglars.
In the present research study, the scientists discovered that the phagocytes “murder” a quarter of the progenitor cells in the testis although these cells are not doing anything “wrong” and are just in the procedure of distinction; they are still brand-new cells and they are not unusual in all regard.
In the very first phase, the scientists avoided the consuming capabilities of the phagocytes and discovered no dead cells in the tissue. In other words, the phagocytes are accountable for the death of the progenitor cells.
In the 2nd phase, the scientists utilized real-time imaging to keep an eye on live tissue and found that the progenitor cells are swallowed alive by the phagocyte, and just then the death procedure is started. “We found for the first time a process entailing the ‘murder’ of completely normal cells. We still do not know why this happens. Perhaps this process aims to supply nutrients to maintain a functional population of stem cells throughout the lifetime of the organism” Professor Toledano recommended.
In addition to the understanding of a brand-new system, this research study can add to our capabilities to establish drugs and indicates to manage cell death, and especially, obviously, for dealing with cancer. “Tumors are characterized by constant growth and the disruption of the process of natural cell death. If we manage to introduce phagocytes in this process that are capable of eliminating the live cancer cells, we will be able to control the growth of the tumor. The more we learn about mechanisms of cell death, the better we can harness these processes to get rid of cancerous cells,” Professor Toledano concluded.
Reference: “The phagocytic cyst cells in Drosophila testis eliminate germ cell progenitors via phagoptosis” by Maayan Zohar-Fux, Aya Ben-Hamo-Arad, Tal Arad, Marina Volin, Boris Shklyar, Ketty Hakim-Mishnaevski, Lilach Porat-Kuperstein, Estee Kurant and Hila Toledano, 17 June 2022, Science Advances.
DOI: 10.1126/ sciadv.abm4937
