Posted on 02/21/2020 9:56:25 AM PST by Red Badger
African turquoise killifish can put themselves into a state of suspended animation as an embryo, a process known as diapause
African turquoise killifish can put themselves into a state of suspended animation as an embryo (Image: MDI Biological Laboratory)
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A fish that can halt the process of ageing and survive out of water for years could help humans track down the fountain of youth, researchers have claimed.
African turquoise killifish can put themselves into a state of suspended animation as an embryo, a characteristic known as diapause.
The trend is thought to have emerged in response to seasonal changes in the environment.
Scientists at Stanford University and the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in the US are now closer to working out how they do it.
They believe it could help humans prevent ageing or even hibernate, which may be necessary on future space expeditions.
A study of their DNA shows that during diapause, genes which trigger the turnover cells dial down, while those involved in muscle maintenance become more active.
Part of this seems to be down to an increase in the production of a protein called CBX7.
The authors wrote in the journal Science: “The killifish lives in transient ponds that are only present during the rainy season and entirely desiccate during the dry season.
“To survive the long drought and enable perpetuation of the species, African killifish embryos enter diapause.
“Although features of diapause have been described in killifish species the mechanisms by which diapause protects organisms remain unknown.
“The time spent in diapause does not come with observed tradeoffs for future life, and diapause confers protective mechanisms to complex organs against damage caused by the passage of time.”
Killifish embryos can put their growth on hold from five months up to two years, matching or even greatly exceeding their typical adult life span.
If humans could do something similar, an 80-year-old person might instead have a life span from 160 to more than 400 years.
Prof Anne Brunet, co-author of the research from Stanford University, told The Guardian: “One can hypothesise that turning on a “diapause-like” state – or tapping into the molecular machinery of diapause – in some adult tissues or cells could help preserve them long-term.”
She added: “We think it’s interesting from a fundamental point of view to understand how the accumulation of the damage due to the passage of time can be stopped or suspended.
“Diapause offers us a way to understand this.”
Prof Bruney said a better understanding could help slow down the “ageing clock”.
Very Cool Fish. My brother, and I used to raise / breed them. Very colorful.
Can I be wired up to read and comment on FR while in, ‘a state of suspended animation’?
And would anyone notice?
Death is what make our lives and our time here precious.
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Nah.
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Imagine 80 year old Nancy Pelosi having this ability.
Bummer.
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LOL
Lots of other preferable things make life precious.
The whole idea sounds fishy.
They removed Nancy Pelosi's brain to work on her cognitive decline issues---and forgot to put it back.
Nobody has noticed so far.
No.
The Killifish (we mostly call ‘em Kellys) in our salt and brackish waterways are almost the same, just a bit less colorful. Good Fluke bait.
Long term hibernation would have a devastating effect on the human body in terms of muscle, tendon and bone deterioration as well as the ultimate weakening of the heart.
Just look at the democratic party while they were at the impeachment sham. It don't get more suspended animation then that right there.
Not sure if that would be a bad thing.
The price of rat poison would definitely go down and I could use that break in my cost in feed rooms.
I’ve seen my birth certificate. Hurry the hell up on this.
Haha - you and me both!
Only if you use automatic payment of donations.
Not like death does. Not at all.
If we had unlimited time, time wouldn’t be worth anything at all.
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