Tardigrades are unique beings that can survive decades without water or getting any form of hydration, and these are something that researchers think have significant implications for modern medicine. These so-called "water bears" are immune to dehydration and it is a unique ability that they have compared to other organisms that could not survive without water.
Tardigrades Research: How Do They Survive Without Water?
(Photo : S Tanaka, H Sagara, T Kunieda. via University of Tokyo)
Water bear. Here is a tardigrade captured by an electron microscope. Despite their minuscule size, they contain a bounty of biological secrets. ©2022
The University of Tokyo's latest research detail how its recent Tardigrade research brings an answer as to how it can survive for decades without any water consumption or intake for the organism. The press release from the University talked about the details of how it survives without any form of hydration for a long time.
Associate Professor Takekazu Kunieda from the University of Tokyo's Department of Biological Sciences said that "The trick is in how their cells deal with this stress during the process of dehydration."
"We have found that cytoplasmic-abundant heat soluble (CAHS) proteins, unique to tardigrades, are responsible for protecting their cells against dehydration," the senior author of the study further claimed.
Organisms Immune to Dehydration?
The research published last September 6 in PLOS Biology's journal entitled "Stress-dependent cell stiffening by tardigrade tolerance proteins that reversibly form a filamentous network and gel" claimed that these organisms are immune to dehydration.
They differ from other organisms in the world, and a certain protein that Tardigrades' bodies produce brings a significant immunity that protects them from suffering from lack of water or dehydration.
Tardigrades Study in the Past
The study on Tardigrades in the past has already unlocked different information about the many capabilities and wonders they bring to the present, something which also gives clues to the future. Previous studies already claimed that these animals can survive the apocalypse or destruction of the world, with cockroaches also noted for their chances of survival.
Apart from the many wonders that Tardigrades bring to the world, it presents a significant study in medical science that may help in understanding more of human health via the study of these animals. According to a previous report, Tardigrades may be found in many places and their abundance bring ideas as to how they can withstand and survive the harshest environments present.
A new study on Tardigrades gives insight as to how it can survive not drinking or consuming any water for many years, and continue to live without getting dehydrated in the process. The organisms detail a significant study as to how there are existing creatures that can do these, bringing information as to how it can benefit human health in the future.
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Written by Isaiah Richard
