{"id":3252142,"date":"2024-10-07T12:16:23","date_gmt":"2024-10-07T16:16:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.futurity.org\/?p=3252142"},"modified":"2024-10-08T10:12:21","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T14:12:21","slug":"recharging-cells-aging-disease-3252142","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.futurity.org\/recharging-cells-aging-disease-3252142\/","title":{"rendered":"Can ‘nanoflowers’ recharge cells to fight aging?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Researchers are using nanotechnology to recharge the “powerhouse of the cell” to fight against disease and aging.<\/p>\n
The ability to recharge cells diminishes as humans age or face diseases. Mitochondria<\/a>, often called the powerhouse of the cell, are central to energy production. When mitochondrial function declines, it leads to fatigue, tissue degeneration, and accelerated aging. Activities that once required minimal recovery now take far longer, highlighting the role that these organelles play in maintaining vitality and overall health.<\/p>\n While current treatments for ailments related to aging and diseases like type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s focus on managing symptoms, researchers have taken a new approach to fight the battle at the source: recharging mitochondrial power through nanotechnology.<\/p>\n Led by Kanwar Abhay Singh, a biomedical engineering postdoctoral associate in the Gaharwar Laboratory at Texas A&M University, the team has developed molybdenum disulfide (MoS\u2082) nanoflowers. Named because of their flower-like structure, these nanoparticles contain atomic vacancies that can stimulate mitochondrial regeneration, helping cells generate more energy.<\/p>\n The findings appear in Nature Communications<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n “These findings offer a future where recharging our cells becomes possible, extending healthy lifespans, and improving outcomes for patients with age-related diseases,” says Akhilesh Gaharwar, a professor and fellow in the biomedical engineering department at Texas A&M.<\/p>\n According to Gaharwar, the nanoflowers could offer new treatments for diseases like muscle dystrophy, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders by increasing ATP production, mitochondrial DNA, and cellular respiration.<\/p>\n The researchers discovered that the atomic vacancies in the nanoflowers stimulate the molecular pathways involved in mitochondrial cell replication.<\/p>\n “This discovery is unique,” says Vishal Gohil of the biophysics and biochemistry department. “We are not just improving mitochondrial function; we are rethinking cellular energy entirely. The potential for regenerative medicine is incredibly exciting.”<\/p>\n