Crocodile blood fights HIV

the_syco

Thought this was intresting:

Australian scientists have discovered that crocodiles - as well as boasting a fine set of teeth and a nice line in drowning and subsequently consuming buffalo - have a highly robust immune system capable of seeing off some penicillin-resistant bacteria.

http://www.theregister.com/2005/08/16/hiv_busting_croc_blood/

DrIndy

Sounds interesting, but something like that needs further development. Shark immune systems are extremely good at isolating and killing cancer. We have much to learn from nature.

jazzbandit

we also have non-penicillin antibiotics that kill penicillin-resistant bacteria, and dont pose the logistical difficulties of obtainig croc blood. And how is this related to HIV??

Chucky

Just go to the link and read the rest of the article to read what it says about HIV.

This is a great discovery, I feel.

Wibbs

DrIndy wrote:

Sounds interesting, but something like that needs further development. Shark immune systems are extremely good at isolating and killing cancer. We have much to learn from nature.

Yea I read about the shark immune system and cancer before. Fascinating stuff. I seem to remember that as well as having very strong immune responses, sharks have cartilage instead of bone in their skeletal structure which makes it harder for tumours to grow as cartilage is less vascular and as such tumours are less likely to get the blood supply that is needed for growth(or something along those lines). I also seem to recall that whales don't suffer from cancer either. Better start the krill diet straightaway

Reptiles can have amazing immune systems. Chelonians(turtles etc) have even stronger immune systems than the crocodilians. The monitor lizards have similarly amazing immune systems. I've seen that first hand with a turtle I have as a pet. One of my other turtles bit it in the leg and tore off so much flesh you could actually see the bone! Tendon, muscle and nerves were damaged and the leg appeared useless. It infected pretty rapidly and smelled quite rank. I thought oh oh, here comes at best an amputation, or at worst a dead turtle. The vet thought the same(he hadn't much experience with reptiles, though). I isolated the turtle and it healed completely In 2 weeks with no scarring. Unreal. Still have the turtle. It's no wonder they can live for so long. In a mammal of the same size it would have been curtains.

If we could somehow apply even some of these traits in humans, the results would be amazing. I can't see how though, given how different the physiology is.

Chucky

That's an amazing story about your turtle. How did it repair though - Did a layer of skin just grow over it or did fresh muscle tissue grow again?

Wibbs

First the wound seemed to tighten and narrow the gap. The original wound would have been about 8mm across and 70% around the limb(back leg entire length about 3cm). Then what looked like a layer of translucent pale skin(for want of a better word) formed. His skin would be black normally. Then it bulked up from underneath. From visual and functional appearances it went back to the way it was before the injury. I've tried to enquire directly but he's not very talkative(unless I've been at the whiskey )

It was fascinating to watch. At the time I was a bit worried as I have him nearly 20 years at this stage.