Jim K Global Moderator Posted June 23, 2016 Global Moderator Share Posted June 23, 2016 Interesting article at Science Magazine...please note these studies are on mouse and zebrafish but could very well be applicable to humans. It is also from a paper that is undergoing peer review. This study could explain why organ transplant recipients are at a greater risk for developing cancer (genes that promote cancer become more active after death according to this article). I bolded what I thought was the most fascinating. Developmental genes, that are shut down after birth, also become reactivated. A couple of snippets from the article at Science Magazine. Quote Does death really mean the end of our existence? Great thinkers from Plato to Blue Öyster Cult have weighed in on the question. Now, a study shows that that at least one aspect of life continues: Genes remain turned on days after animals die. Researchers may be able to parlay this postmortem activity into better ways of preserving donated organs for transplantation and more accurate methods of determining when murder victims were killed. /snip At first, the researchers assumed that genes would shut down shortly after death, like the parts of a car that has run out of gas. What they found instead was that hundreds of genes ramped up. Although most of these genes upped their activity in the first 24 hours after the animals expired and then tapered off, in the fish some genes remained active 4 days after death. Many of these postmortem genes are beneficial in emergencies; they perform tasks such as spurring inflammation, firing up the immune system, and counteracting stress. Other genes were more surprising. “What’s jaw-dropping is that developmental genes are turned on after death,” Noble says. These genes normally help sculpt the embryo, but they aren’t needed after birth. One possible explanation for their postmortem reawakening, the researchers say, is that cellular conditions in newly dead corpses resemble those in embryos. The team also found that several genes that promote cancer became more active. That result could explain why people who receive transplants from the recently deceased have a higher risk of cancer, Noble says. He and his colleagues posted their results on the preprint server bioRxiv last week, and Noble says their paper is undergoing peer review at a journal. /snip Before anyone comments on Zombies ... this does not cover the phenomenon occurring on AMC's documentary, The Walking Dead. Draggendrop 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draconian Guppy Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 5 minutes ago, jjkusaf said: Interesting article at Science Magazine...please note these studies are on mouse and zebrafish but could very well be applicable to humans. It is also from a paper that is undergoing peer review. This study could explain why organ transplant recipients are at a greater risk for developing cancer (genes that promote cancer become more active after death according to this article). I bolded what I thought was the most fascinating. Developmental genes, that are shut down after birth, also become reactivated. A couple of snippets from the article at Science Magazine. Before anyone comments on Zombies ... this does not cover the phenomenon occurring on the AMC documentary The Walking Dead. the bolded part is interesting! Also, seasons don't fear the reaper, why should genes Victor Rambo 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T3X4S Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 Its because our ancestors mated with water bears.... really small ancestors that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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