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www.dailymail.co.uk_sciencetech 2015 02384.txt.txt

#Death of a white blood cell: Exploding cells captured on film for first time-shedding light on how our immune system works A key component of the body defence against disease has been captured on film for the first time. Researchers at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia, used time lapse photography to film a white blood cell as it died. It had been thought these cells broke down in a random way when they died in the cell. But the new research has revealed they actually die in an organised manner that may help to alert other parts of the immune system to a threat. The study revealed molecules are ejected from the dying cell on long eadsthat shoot out like a necklace and then break apart. The researchers say the monocytes appear to die in three stages bulging, exploding and breaking apart. Dr Ivan Poon, a molecular biologist at La Trobe University who led the work, said they may have uncovered a key part of the immune systems defence mechanism. If a disease or infection causes white blood cells to die, they can then warn others nearby to mount an immune response. Dr Poon said:''The role of white blood cells is central to our body's innate immune system and much like fighter jet pilots are ejected from their downed aeroplane, we have discovered certain molecules are pushed free from the dying cell, while others are left behind in the'wreckage'of the cell fragments.''It is the first time we have seen ever this take place and we now need to better understand the reasons behind this and the implications of this process of cell fragmentation.''It could be that we've identified the mechanics of how dying white blood cells go about alerting neighbouring cells to the presence of disease or infection. lternatively we may have discovered the transportation mechanism for a virus to infect other parts of the body. The research, which is published in the journal Nature Communications, could now help scientists develop new ways of harnessing the power of the immune system to fight off disease. The researchers believe the molecules ejected from the cells on the beads, which are up to eight times longer than the host cell and are called beaded apoptopodia, are involved in transferring signals and cell growth. If these are involved in communicating a threat to nearby cells, then it could be enhanced or supressed with the use of drugs. Dr Poon said: rogrammed cell death occurs throughout life in essentially all tissues in the human body as part of the normal process of development and death, and the human body has innate mechanisms to clean up these fragments of dead cells.''Specialised white blood cells called professional phagocytes are essential to this cleanup and we hope that by better understanding the mechanics of this, scientists can better harness the human body's own defence and healing mechanisms, leading to better health treatments and outcomes in the future.''Importantly we've also discovered drugs that affect this process so, once we know more, we may be able to either suppress or enhance this action e

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