2020-08-11 18:04:29
Would it be possible that non-terrestrial microorganisms could cause pandemics if they reach our planet? How would our immune system respond to its presence here? British scientists are trying to study in the laboratory how T lymphocytes would respond to protein fragments made up of amino acids not present in terrestrial proteins. Using artificially synthesized peptides that contain two amino acids that are rare on Earth but abundant in meteorites, researchers have studied the response of T lymphocytes isolated from laboratory mice, which function in a very similar way to T lymphocytes. humans. The results clearly indicate that protein fragments containing these two rare amino acids are less efficiently detected by T cells. The authors of the study conclude that if extraterrestrial microorganisms exist and are transported to Earth, they could pose a clear threat to the health of humanity.
#Pandemics #outer #space