Research identifies a 'third state' beyond life and death in breakthrough for medical science

Despite all of science’s advancements, the mystery of what happens after death remains unsolved. While we’ve long believed that organisms simply decompose after death, scientists have now uncovered a surprising form of cellular metamorphosis that occurs post-mortem, marking a major breakthrough. Not only do some cells continue functioning, but they may also offer new possibilities when properly harnessed. This groundbreaking discovery, made by microbiology and bioinformatics experts, was published in the Journal of the American Physiological Society and could be a game-changer.

Life and death are typically seen as distinct, opposing states. However, there may be a "third state" after death, where cells from a deceased organism give rise to new life forms. Contrary to popular belief, death might not be as final as we think. The study was led by Peter A. Noble, Affiliate Professor of Microbiology at the University of Washington and Alex Pozhitkov, Senior Technical Lead of Bioinformatics, Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences at the City of Hope, who shared their insights about the "third state" with The Conversation. While trying to understand how, in transplants, organs, tissues and cells continue to function even after the donor's demise, the researchers discovered a mindblowing reason. 

With the right nutrients, oxygen, bioelectricity, or biochemical signals, cells can undergo metamorphosis into multicellular life forms—taking on new functions in the process. This "third state" has been observed earlier in the skin cells of deceased frog embryos. In 2021, scientists from Tufts University and the University of Vermont identified the potential of the deceased frog embryo cells forming into multicellular xenobots that can self-organize and repair themselves. This study published in the Science Robotics journal explained how these xenobots capable of replicating themselves could be fast-paced and capable of recording information.

Similarly, in 2023, another study published in the Advance Science journal discovered the capability of human lung cells to assemble themselves into multicellular life forms termed anthrobots. Backed by such strong evidence, Noble and Pozhitkov inferred that the "third state" can challenge the stereotypical ideas about how cells evolve. This phenomenon could be our clue to understanding how life transforms over time. However, factors like environmental conditions, metabolic activity and preservation techniques might influence how the cells metamorphose after death. Noble and Pozhitkov explain that the possible trigger for this "third state" could be the presence of specialized channels and pumps in the outer membranes of cells that serve as intricate electrical circuits.

The electrical signals from these channels might be the reason for kickstarting communication, movement and growth in the cells. Having discovered these properties, the researchers also pointed out how valuable this "third state" could be in the field of medicine. By sourcing anthrobots from living tissue, drug delivery can be effectuated without causing an immune response. Other treatments include dissolving arterial plaque in atherosclerosis patients and removing excess mucus in cystic fibrosis patients with engineered anthrobots. Since the "third state" has a short lifespan of four to six weeks, one need not worry about them becoming invasive. This breakthrough has opened up opportunities for personalized and preventive medicine.