Why do some animals, like sharks and crocodiles, have such powerful immune systems that they rarely get sick or develop cancer, and could we learn from them to improve human health?
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There is a whole large research of sharks and their immune system. They show a great resistance to cancer. The study has been going on for years and a tremendous amount has been learned on how to block the growth of cancer cells. They have also learned how to slow or stop bacterial growth by studying sharks. Many medical universities have research labs devoted to working with sharks and that has led to the discovery the even DNA repair is possible. So your idea is correct that doctors and researchers did recognize the importance of the shark and have been able to learn many important medical procedures and even cures thanks to the mean old and dangerous shark.
There is a whole large research of sharks and their immune system. They show a great resistance to cancer. The study has been going on for years and a tremendous amount has been learned on how to block the growth of cancer cells. They have also learned how to slow or stop bacterial growth by studying sharks. Many medical universities have research labs devoted to working with sharks and that has led to the discovery the even DNA repair is possible. So your idea is correct that doctors and researchers did recognize the importance of the shark and have been able to learn many important medical procedures and even cures thanks to the mean old and dangerous shark.
There is a whole large research of sharks and their immune system. They show a great resistance to cancer. The study has been going on for years and a tremendous amount has been learned on how to block the growth of cancer cells. They have also learned how to slow or stop bacterial growth by studying sharks. Many medical universities have research labs devoted to working with sharks and that has led to the discovery the even DNA repair is possible. So your idea is correct that doctors and researchers did recognize the importance of the shark and have been able to learn many important medical procedures and even cures thanks to the mean old and dangerous shark.
Also, many types of shark have been around in more or less their present forms for a shockingly long time. Like when the first dinosaurs appeared, sharks were already ancient. That’s a lot of time for designs to be improved upon, even if each of said improvements took a loooooooooong time (which they may or may not have, we don’t have that info yet)
Also, many types of shark have been around in more or less their present forms for a shockingly long time. Like when the first dinosaurs appeared, sharks were already ancient. That’s a lot of time for designs to be improved upon, even if each of said improvements took a loooooooooong time (which they may or may not have, we don’t have that info yet)
Also, many types of shark have been around in more or less their present forms for a shockingly long time. Like when the first dinosaurs appeared, sharks were already ancient. That’s a lot of time for designs to be improved upon, even if each of said improvements took a loooooooooong time (which they may or may not have, we don’t have that info yet)
Alligators frequently get in fights and then soak the injuries in swamp water. To avoid dying of infection, they have small proteins that destroy bacteria throughout their bodies. Some [scientists at Auburn University](https://www.freethink.com/science/genetically-modified-fish) recently made a GMO catfish that makes the same bacteria-destroying protein as alligators and it successfully protected the catfish from infection. In principle you could do something similar to humans, although no one seems to like the idea of GMO humans.
Alligators frequently get in fights and then soak the injuries in swamp water. To avoid dying of infection, they have small proteins that destroy bacteria throughout their bodies. Some [scientists at Auburn University](https://www.freethink.com/science/genetically-modified-fish) recently made a GMO catfish that makes the same bacteria-destroying protein as alligators and it successfully protected the catfish from infection. In principle you could do something similar to humans, although no one seems to like the idea of GMO humans.
Alligators frequently get in fights and then soak the injuries in swamp water. To avoid dying of infection, they have small proteins that destroy bacteria throughout their bodies. Some [scientists at Auburn University](https://www.freethink.com/science/genetically-modified-fish) recently made a GMO catfish that makes the same bacteria-destroying protein as alligators and it successfully protected the catfish from infection. In principle you could do something similar to humans, although no one seems to like the idea of GMO humans.
i work in a building with shark immunology research ongoing and heard a couple of talks from the lady who does the actual shark research.
Short answer is we don’t yet know why they’re resistant to cancer. Or at least the lady who works in my building doesn’t, but the aim of her research is to find it out.
A few things we know:
chemistry works slower when you’re cold, And sharks are adapted to living in cold waters. Therefore their immune systems have different loads and requirements. For example, I remember her saying that peak immune response after introducing a foreign chemical (antigen) was 2 months. For reference the Covid vaccine in humans has a response in the order of days.
They also have a slightly different immune system, with different antibody types. This was one of the reasons earlier scientists thought that shark immune systems were “undeveloped”, since they weren’t similar to the human immune system. What that means in term of the efficacy, is to my understanding still under research, but the antibodies might be easier to tune.
Once again, not a shark researcher, but work in the same facility as one
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