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May 29 2025
5In a pioneering study published in Oncogene, scientists from University College London (UCL), biotech firm LinkGevity, and the European Space Agency (ESA) propose that necrosis, a destructive form of cell death, may be central to aging, disease progression, and the health risks of space travel. Their findings challenge traditional views and point to necrosis not as a final step in cellular life, but as a pivotal driver of biological decline—and a promising target for intervention.
Necrosis occurs when cells die due to injury, infection, or other extreme stressors. Unlike apoptosis, the body’s programmed and orderly form of cell death, necrosis is chaotic. It causes cells to burst and release harmful substances into nearby tissues, triggering inflammation and impairing healing. Over time, these localized events can cascade into widespread tissue degeneration, contributing to chronic conditions such as heart disease, Alzheimer's, and kidney failure.
Dr. Keith Siew, a co-author from the UCL Center for Kidney & Bladder Health, explained, “Death—even at the cellular level—is often a taboo subject, which may be why we understand so little about the physiology of necrosis. But when too many cells die, tissues fail, and ultimately so do we. The key question is: what if we could halt necrosis before it wreaks havoc?”
Dr. Carina Kern, lead author and CEO of LinkGevity, echoed this sentiment. “Necrosis is a common thread across many disciplines—aging, disease, space medicine—and yet it's been largely overlooked,” she said. “We believe it represents one of the last great frontiers in medical science.”
Central to the necrotic process is calcium, an essential cellular regulator. Under normal conditions, calcium levels are tightly controlled—10,000 to 100,000 times higher outside the cell than within. When this balance breaks down, a surge of calcium floods the cell, disrupting its functions and leading to a breakdown that spills toxic material into surrounding areas. This chain reaction results in inflammation, tissue damage, and impaired regeneration.
One of the most striking implications of necrosis is its role in kidney disease. By age 75, nearly half of all people develop some level of kidney dysfunction. “Kidney failure isn’t caused by one single factor,” Dr. Siew noted. “It could stem from low oxygen, inflammation, toxins, or oxidative stress. But these all eventually funnel into necrosis, which then drives a self-perpetuating cycle of damage. If we can interrupt that cycle, we could prevent or delay kidney failure.”
This approach could be especially crucial in space, where astronauts are exposed to microgravity and cosmic radiation—conditions that accelerate aging and strain organs like the kidneys. Dr. Siew's earlier research in 2024 highlighted the kidney as a critical vulnerability in long-term space missions. If necrosis could be paused or prevented, it might remove a major barrier to deep-space travel.
Professor Damian Bailey of the University of South Wales and ESA’s Life Sciences Working Group underscored this potential. “In space, the processes that age us on Earth are intensified. Targeting necrosis could extend human health both on our planet and beyond it.”
Dr. Kern concluded that interrupting necrosis could transform our approach to many age-related diseases. “Whether in the lungs, brain, kidneys, or heart, necrosis drives destructive cycles. If we can stop it—if only for a short time—we could allow cells to heal, regenerate, and restore normal function.”
This paradigm-shifting perspective could redefine how scientists approach aging, chronic disease, and the human quest to explore the cosmos.
Source:https://phys.org/news/2025-05-cell-death-frontier-medicine-earth.html
This is non-financial/medical advice and made using AI so could be wrong.
