How Hibernating Squirrels Could Ease the Organ Shortage Crisis

[Judi Lynn]

By George Dvorsky on 11 May 2018 at 5:00PM

Squirrels and other hibernating animals have an almost magical ability to withstand frigid temperatures. New research has uncovered the biological factors involved in keeping cellular structures intact during hibernation—a finding that could eventually be used to preserve human organs prior to transplantation.

There’s no question that something needs to be done about the ongoing organ donation shortage. Thousands of people die every year in cases where organ donation would have been possible. And then there’s the timing aspect; the availability of organs doesn’t always coincide with a patient in need. Hence the need for viable organ preservation methods.

One possible solution, as proposed in a Cell paper published this week, involves leveraging the power of hibernation. Or more specifically, leveraging the biological processes that make hibernation possible. The new research, conducted by scientists at the US National Eye Institute, a part of the US National Institutes of Health, reveals the remarkable cellular mechanisms that enable ground squirrels to survive exposure to frigid conditions as they wait out the winter months. Their promising experiments suggest that similar processes could be applied to human tissue, allowing for the long-term preservation of organs.

Researcher Wei Li, a senior investigator in the NEI Retinal Neurophysiology Section, and his colleague Jingxing Ou, studied cells of the common 13-lined ground squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus). This North American rodent features 13 alternating brown and white lines that extend along the length of its body (hence its name), but more importantly, it’s a hibernating mammal. As the new research shows, the cells of these animals contain microtubule cytoskeletons—small tubes that form strong structural networks within cells while also allowing for the transportation of organelles and molecular compounds required for cellular health and survival.

More:
http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2018/05/how-hibernating-squirrels-could-ease-the-organ-shortage-crisis/

[Igel]

1. Ah, not what I was half expecting.

Which was, "find the little buggers as they're dormant and harvest their organs."

Immunocompatibility be damned.