Discovering the 'Third State': Life Beyond Death

Scientific advancements reveal a 'third state' where cells from deceased organisms can transform into new multicellular life-forms. This state challenges the traditional boundaries of life and death and opens potential avenues for medical treatments. Examples include xenobots from frog cells and anthrobots from human lung cells, displaying novel functionalities.

In Washington, scientists led by Alex Pozhitkov at City of Hope have uncovered a 'third state' where cells from dead organisms can take on new life in different forms. This discovery stretches the conventional understanding of life and death.

Traditionally, death marks the cessation of all functions in an organism. However, the resilience shown by cells that continue to function postmortem, such as in organ donation, prompted researchers to explore mechanisms behind this phenomenon.

In their recent study, researchers found that frog embryo skin cells and human lung cells could reorganize and transform into multicellular organisms with new capabilities. These findings have significant implications for medical advancements, potentially offering new treatments and insights into cellular adaptability.

(With inputs from agencies.)