CCMB Hyderabad scientists unveil how cells can self-revive, expedite tissue regeneration

A breakthrough study from Hyderabad’s CCMB has revealed a novel cell mechanism, dubbed "Programmed Cell Revival", that enables damaged cells to recover and regenerate tissues in various organisms.

Hyderabad: A new discovery from Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), brings forth a novel way to expedite tissue repair and regeneration. The discovery opens a new frontier in cell biology, poised to engage experts of regenerative medicine and cancer biologists to re-examine their understanding, CCMB in a press release on Tuesday said.

A team of scientists led by Dr Santosh Chauhan has shown that cells have a built-in way to revive from the brink of death. The process of revival is highly programmed and mimics developmental growth. The scientists demonstrated that such a revival, which they called Programmed Cell Revival, sped up skin wound healing and repaired corneal burns in mice, stimulated tail regeneration in frog tadpoles, promoted nerve repair in worms, and enhanced blood stem cell production in fruit flies. The study has been published in EMBO Journal.

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This finding overturns the dogma that once a cell begins to die, its journey is irreversible. “What we see is not accidental survival of cells. Rather, we have found that cells across organisms have the ability to follow a common mechanism that can reactivate their developmental, metabolic, and immune pathways to restore their full cellular function. This discovery reshapes how we think about life, death, and healing at the cellular level,” commented Dr Chauhan. The scientists have filed for Indian and international patents for this finding.

The scientists also cautioned that the same revival program could pose risks in certain contexts, particularly cancer. “Many cancer drug screens rely on superficial signs of cell death, but this study warns that such cells may not be truly dead — and could revive with enhanced stem-like properties, potentially making tumors more aggressive. While Programmed Cell Revival mechanisms may be a blessing for regenerative medicine strategies, they possibly reduce the efficacy of cancer treatments,” detailed Dr Chauhan.