Prime Highlights
- CSIR-CCMB researchers in Hyderabad have discovered a mechanism called Programmed Cell Revival (PCR), showing that cells on the verge of death can revive and restore normal functioning.
- The process has been proven to accelerate tissue repair and regeneration in animals, opening up vast potential for regenerative medicine.
Key Facts
- The research, published in the EMBO Journal, demonstrated PCR’s ability to heal skin wounds, repair corneal burns in mice, regenerate tails in frog tadpoles, repair nerves in worms, and boost blood stem cell production in fruit flies.
- The team, led by Dr. Santosh Chauhan, has applied for Indian and international patents, reflecting its potential in future medical care, though it may also pose challenges in cancer treatment.
Background
Researchers at CSIR-Centre of Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, have found a new approach to speeding up tissue repair and regeneration. This research, which was conducted in the EMBO Journal, demonstrates that cells that are on the verge of death can revive in a natural and programmed process that uproots the notion that dying cells cannot be rejuvenated.
Dr. Santosh Chauhan led the study and, together with his colleagues, discovered this mechanism, which they christened Programmed Cell Revival (PCR). Not random survival, they discovered, but a highly programmed revival that rejuvenates the cells, reinstating developmental, metabolic, and immune signaling.
Scientific experimentation has shown that PCR can speed up the healing of wounds and the repair of the tissues. It helped to heal skin wounds and mice with corneal burns. It caused regeneration of tails in frog tadpoles and repair of nerves in worms. There was also enhanced production of blood stem cells in fruit flies. The implications of such results are that PCR could play a massive role in regenerative medicine, which opens new avenues to heal injuries and tissue damage.
As Dr. Chauhan explained, cells possess an inherent capacity to recover and resume full normal functioning. This finding transforms our perception of life, death, and cellular healing.
The team has applied for both Indian and international patents for this discovery, and this reflects its possible usefulness in future medical care.
However, scientists also issued a note of caution. The same revival process may create challenges in cancer treatment. Many cancer therapies work by inducing cell death, but if such cells revive instead, they could return with stronger stem-like traits, making tumours more aggressive.
“This mechanism is promising for regenerative medicine but could also limit the effectiveness of cancer treatments,” Dr. Chauhan warned.
The discovery marks an important milestone in cell biology research and opens up both opportunities and challenges in medicine worldwide.
