A new study reveals a process called cathartocytosis, in which large mature cells rapidly discard parts of their internal structure — downgrading much of their cellular machinery — in response to injury. This “cellular streamlining” helps cells adapt more quickly to stress or damage and maintain their function under duress. The discovery opens the door to potential new strategies for healing injured tissues or organs more effectively. Supported in part by the AGA Research Foundation, this work highlights a groundbreaking way that cells cope with change and protect themselves.
AGA-funded researcher: Jeffrey W. Brown, MD, PhD, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; and Joseph Burclaff, PhD, University of North Carolina
This work was published in Cell Reports
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