Stanford scientists discover explosive immune cells in flatworms that destroy bacteria within minutes
Stanford researchers identified a new type of immune cell in flatworms that bursts open within minutes of detecting a hormone signal, releasing toxins that destroy nearby bacteria and infected cells, according to a study published in Cell. The team named the cells 'ruptoblasts' a
Stanford researchers, working with colleagues at Ben-Gurion University, have identified a new type of immune cell in flatworms that bursts open within minutes of detecting a specific hormone signal, releasing toxins that destroy nearby bacteria and infected cells, according to a study published in the journal Cell. The team named the cells 'ruptoblasts' and the explosive process 'ruptosis.' When researchers infected flatworms with dangerous bacteria, neighboring immune cells released the triggering hormone signal, causing the ruptoblasts to detonate and shatter the bacteria's membranes within moments. A single ruptoblast affects everything, including healthy tissue, within a 100-micron radius. Because the mechanism destroys pathogens quickly and locally without relying on prior immune memory, the researchers say it could inform new approaches to treating drug-resistant infections and early-stage tumors in other organisms.