Scientists make bombshell discovery of 'third state' where cells can live on even after death

Scientists have unearthed a so-called "third state" beyond life and death where cells of a deceased organism continue to function post-mortem.

This study , published in Physiology, was spearheaded by Professor Peter Noble at the University of Washington, Seattle, and Alex Pozhitkov at City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California . The research reads like a storyline straight out of a science fiction movie, revealing that after an organism's death, its cells acquire new abilities they didn't exhibit during their lifespan.

If further experiments with deceased animals - including human specimens - also demonstrate this third state, it could potentially "redefine legal death" according to the researchers. "Life and death are traditionally viewed as opposites," they stated in an article in The Conversation.

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"But the emergence of new multicellular life-forms from the cells of a dead organism introduces a 'third state' that lies beyond the traditional boundaries of life and death. Certain cells when provided with nutrients, oxygen, bioelectricity or biochemical cues have the capacity to transform into multicellular organisms with new functions after death."

A team has reviewed recent studies on the ability of cells to transform post-mortem. According to a report by MailOnline, in 2021 US researchers discovered that skin cells from deceased frogs could adapt in a laboratory petri dish, consequently reorganizing into new multicellular entities called "xenobots.", reports the Mirror .

These xenobots exhibited behaviors that surpassed their initial functions while alive, like moving around using ciliatiny hair-like projections. The researchers suggested this represents a novel cellular function that wasn't present during the organisms' lives, as it represented an evolution not previously programmed.

The exact workings of cellular operation in what's considered a third state of being remains elusive. However, researchers speculate a complex network of "electrical circuits" may resuscitate the cells.

They surmise: "One hypothesis is specialized channels and pumps embedded in the outer membranes of cells serve as intricate electrical circuits. These channels and pumps generate electrical signals that allow cells to communicate with each other and execute specific functions such as growth and movement, shaping the structure of the organism they form."

The team behind the study believes these unexplored frontiers could usher in a new era in biology, pushing the boundaries of what we know about embryogenesis and the physiological limits of life. "This research has the potential to transform regenerative medicine, redefine legal death, and provide insights into life's physiological limits, paralleling inquiries in embryogenesis," they noted.