Cells are considered the smallest part of living organisms. In our body there are more than 10 trillion cells!
In addition to the characteristics studied by Cytology, there are some "superpowers" that place cells as one of the most fascinating structures in science and that arouse the interest of scientists.
Thousands of cells like these make up our organism
1. healing factor
The well-known stem cells are capable of transforming into any cell in the body, including neurons, and can replicate many times. They can also be programmed to perform specific functions.
This "superpower" of transformation and multiplication represents the possibility of cure for various diseases. It is believed that stem cells from the umbilical cord can help treat more than 80 diseases.
2. super orientation
Cells know where to go. Scientific research has shown that leukocytes, the body's defense cells, tend to move to the left. The centriole would be the organelle responsible for differentiating directions. This could mean that cells know where to move, even in the absence of external stimuli.
3. Scheduled Death
Programmed death, also called apoptosis, serves to eliminate superfluous or defective cells. It is a "programmed suicide" process that is related to cell metabolism and disease.
Programmed cell death is a rapid process that takes up to three hours to complete. If it weren't for this process, our organism would be accumulated with functionless cells.
4. Self-sacrifice in defense of the organism
Like a good superhero, cells can sacrifice themselves to keep the body functioning properly. Neutrophils, the body's defense cells, can phagocytose foreign bodies such as bacteria. However, they release substances that attack foreign agents and themselves.
This "superpower" is a type of programmed cell death. However, in this case, the cell kills and dies.
5. Amazing body renewal
Regeneration is the process by which cells that die are replaced by cells from the same tissue. Most of our body's cells are renewed during life.
For example, skin cells are constantly being replaced. When we hurt the skin, with a scratch or a cut, the cells immediately take action to regenerate.
Liver cells are also constantly renewed. They live for approximately three months and are replaced.
This "superpower" of cell renewal guarantees the integrity of our organism.
Learn more about cells.
6. Immortality
There are cells that don't die. It is a lineage of immortal cells called HeLa cells.
Learn how they were arrived at: In 1951, Henrietta Lacks was referred to the hospital with cervical cancer. However, their tumor cells were multiplying much faster than any other type of cancer.
Without Henrietta's consent, the doctor removed a piece of tissue and cultivated it in the laboratory. She ended up dying from cancer. However, cells from her continued to be cultured and were distributed in various laboratories around the world. Currently, it is not known for sure how many cells of this lineage still exist, but there are around billions.
From the study of HeLa cells, a vaccine for polio was created. They have also enabled discoveries in virology, AIDS, cancer, Parkinson's disease and tuberculosis.
7. aging control
The ends of chromosomes contain a stretch of DNA that can be compared to the plastic tape on a shoelace. This stretch is called the telomere, we can say that it is the tip of the chromosomes. The telomere contributes to the integrity of the genetic material.
Researchers believe that at birth telomeres have a defined size that decreases with cell divisions throughout life.
Thus, aging would be related to the shortening of telomeres. This indicates that our life span is passing over the years and also at the ends of chromosomes.
8. organism overdefence
The defense of our organism is maintained by an army of cells always ready to take action.
In our body, there are several types of defense cells, as if they were soldiers, representing the body's front line of defense. Each cell acts at specific times and with defined actions.
Leukocytes know where there are inflammatory reactions in the body and migrate there. Macrophages and neutrophils eliminate most invaders by phagocytosis.
Meanwhile, T lymphocytes identify the foreign agents, the antigens. B lymphocytes produce antibodies to fight invaders.
Know more about:
- Curiosities about the human body
- Human Body Cells
