Cells May Have Phoenix-Like Ability, Finds CCMB
Indian researchers identified dying cells switching back to life in several species
Hyderabad: A groundbreaking discovery from the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) has revealed that cells may have a natural ability to return from the brink of death and even accelerate the healing of damaged tissues.
Led by Dr Santosh Chauhan, a team of scientists has identified a process they call Programmed Cell Revival. This built-in mechanism enables dying cells to switch back on, restoring their function by reactivating developmental, metabolic, and immune pathways.
The team demonstrated this phenomenon across multiple species. In experiments, skin wounds and corneal burns in mice healed faster, tail regeneration was stimulated in frog tadpoles, nerve repair improved in worms, and blood stem cell production increased in fruit flies. Their findings were recently published in the EMBO Journal.
“This is not just accidental survival,” said Dr Chauhan. “We found that many organisms share a deeply programmed ability to bring cells back to life. It changes how we think about life, death, and healing.”
The discovery, however, also raises concerns — particularly in cancer research. Since many cancer therapies assume that dying cells are permanently gone, the ability of cells to “revive” could lead to drug resistance or more aggressive tumour growth.
While the team sees enormous potential for regenerative medicine, they caution that this revival process could interfere with certain treatments. The researchers have already filed both Indian and international patents, noting that this marks only the beginning of a new chapter in cell biology.
