A 'chemical barcode' discovered to identify zombie cells.

A research team coordinated by MIT, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School has discovered a chemical 'barcode' that allows the identification of senescent cells, known as 'zombie cells,' without destroying them. The discovery, published in the journal Nature Aging, was achieved by studying mouse cells and could be adapted to human samples.

The technique is based on Raman microscopy, a non-destructive analysis method that uses a laser beam to gather information about the chemical composition of cells and tissues. The study compared skin and lung samples from young and old mice, highlighting specific chemical characteristics associated with senescence in older tissues, such as increased production and accumulation of lipids.

This discovery opens new possibilities for studying aging-related pathologies and for researching new treatments, as it allows for the first time to recognize senescent cells while keeping them intact for further analysis.

As we age, so-called 'zombie cells' or senescent cells accumulate in the body's tissues. These are cells that have stopped dividing but do not die, remaining metabolically active and releasing substances that can damage surrounding tissues. Their accumulation is associated with numerous age-related pathologies and the functional decline of organs.

Until now, identifying these cells required destructive methods that prevented their subsequent study. Research into recognizing senescent cells arose from the need to better understand the mechanisms of aging and develop therapies for related diseases. For years, researchers have sought a way to pinpoint these cells without altering them, in order to study their behavior and test potential treatments.

The discovery of the chemical 'barcode' thus represents a fundamental step: it not only allows for the identification of senescent cells but also preserves them for further research. This could accelerate the development of targeted therapies for age-related diseases, providing a precise tool to monitor the effectiveness of treatments on the cells themselves.