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Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Living Stem Cells Survive in Corpse 17 Days After Death

How long do stem cells in your body last after death? New research by histologist and neuropathologist Fabrice Chrétien shows that stem cells can last much longer without oxygen and nutrients than previously thought:
Apparently the stem cells were able survive in the total absence of oxygen. "These cells are so resistant to extreme and deleterious conditions that they stay alive up to 17 days after death," Chrétien said. [...]
These stem cells in both dead mice and human corpses were dormant when discovered, with extraordinarily reduced metabolic activity, marking the first time scientists have found that stem cells were capable of such dormancy. The researchers suspect that chemicals given off after death, or the low levels of oxygen or nutrients in corpses, or a combination of all these factors, could have sent the stem cells into dormancy, helping them survive for weeks.

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