Humans usually experiencerigor mortis – the stiffening of the body – hours after they have died . But that does n’t seem to be the case with all being .
In a study published inCell Reports , scientist from University College London ( UCL ) and Washington University found that a small tinea calledCaenorhabditis elegans(C. elegans ) actually experienced rigor mortis before it had officially pall .
" Cell last has been wide studied but much less is known about end of whole organisms , how it happens , what triggers it , and when it lead off and ends , ” Professor David Gems from UCL , who led the research worker , said in astatement .
“ But it ’s extremely important for see fateful diseases in humans , especially those triggered by age . "
Death is define in medical term as the present moment that the heart stops beating or the mentality stops working . However , there are normally quite a few events that happen before and after someone give out , including rigor mortis .
InC. elegans , which grows to just a millimeter in length , the team found that die cells actuate the dying of neighboring cell through the release of calcium . This pop out in the muscle , which is what initiates rigor mortis in the insect . The cell death is described as spreading through the insect “ like a house combust down ” , according to hint author Dr Evgeniy Galimov from UCL .
A telecasting of the process in action . David Gems , UCL
The reason for the difference from humans is that these worms do n’t have a circulatory system to get oxygen to breathe . This means they do n’t die from circulative loser , as happens in mammalian . What ’s more , C. elegansexperienced a “ belly clout ” when the end of cell in its head drove its pharynx towards its intestine , causing the chain reaction of cadre death .
Aside from just being rather interesting , the cogitation could help us sympathise more about the process of demise . In special , it could spill light on how cells misplace the ability to bring forth energy as they age and miss their ability to contain calcium in the brawniness .
" Discovering rigor mortis in insect is exciting as it highlights a key step in the chain of events leading from respectable maturity to death from erstwhile years , ” impart Professor Gems .
“ It helps us to understand death in humans , and perhaps in the future to prevent death in mortally ill patients . "
