A study recently released in the journal PLOS One has revealed how fascinating creatures called Tardigrades, also known as water bears, enter a form of suspended animation when faced with harsh environmental conditions. The research was conducted by study lead author Amanda L. Smythers, a postdoctoral researcher at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School in Boston. It was published on January 17 and could potentially have implications for humans.
The surprising capability of these resilient creatures to survive harsh conditions is now thought to be activated through a protective mechanism triggered by the presence of unstable oxygen free radicals. The research seeks to find ways to replicate this mechanism in human applications like creating protective materials that respond to extreme conditions and developing treatments that disarm cancer cells. The discovery has also drawn positive comments from Dr. William R. Miller, a research assistant professor at Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas, who has studied and written about tardigrades.
Smythers and his team started looking into how these creatures survive under harsh conditions due to the growing body of literature suggesting that cysteines were involved in initiating the tun process. Over a quick experiment involving peroxide, one of the common free radicals, the team observed that a tardigrade was triggered to enter the protective “tun mode.” This outcome subsequently led to the discovery of the reactive oxygen species’ significant role in initiating tun formation.
These findings have generated excitement in the scientific community, especially in cancer research. Dr. Miller suggested that finding methods to control cancer through these mechanisms would be great and praised Smythers’s ability to find possible applications of tardigrade research that might benefit cancer research and other related areas. The research could potentially serve as a foundation for the development of materials that offer protection against extreme conditions and therapies for treating cancer.