Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have discovered that epithelial cells lining our skin and organs can signal pain, but with a twist – they use a slow “scream” instead of rapid bioelectrical signals like neurons. This finding opens new avenues for biomedical devices to accelerate healing.
For years, these cells were considered “mute,” but the newly discovered phenomenon allows them to communicate with each other by releasing calcium ions. The signals propagate slowly, taking hours to resolve, and rely on ion channels that respond to mechanical stimuli.
The discovery was made using a specialized chip coated with lab-grown epithelial cells, which allowed researchers to track how these cells coordinated their response. The results show that these slow-moving signals can travel long distances – up to hundreds of micrometers from the site of injury.
This new way of communication has significant implications for biomedical devices like wearable sensors and electronic bandages, which could potentially accelerate wound healing. While more research is needed to fully understand this phenomenon, the discovery is an exciting breakthrough that opens doors to new possibilities in medical technology.
Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-found-the-silent-scream-of-human-skin-for-the-first-time