Cell Division Reversed for the First Time

SubtleGuest writes "Gary J. Gorbsky, Ph.D., a scientist with the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, has found a way to reverse the process of cell division. The discovery could have important implications for the treatment of cancer, birth defects and numerous other diseases and disorders. Gorbsky's findings appear in the April 13 issue of the journal Nature. "No one has gotten the cell cycle to go backwards before now," said Gorbsky. "This shows that certain events in the cell cycle that have long been assumed irreversible may, in fact, be reversible." In the lab, Gorbsky and his OMRF colleagues were able to control the protein responsible for the division process, interrupt and reverse the event, sending duplicate chromosomes back to the center of the original cell, an event once thought impossible. Here is a video of it happening."

Re:hmm..

[Anonymous Coward]

is this video playing backwards?

The way it really happens

[WhatsAProGingrass]

And here [nature.com] is the video of cell division. only its played in reverse.

WhatsAPro.com [whatsapro.com]

Does this mean ...

[Anonymous Coward]

It might not be too late to 'take back' that decision you made to have children 10 years ago?

Next up: a story about the Cell processor

[wheany]

There must be a Cell processor story somewhere that Slashdot could post. That would make it three cell stories in a row. It's funny becuase it's repeated.

Video method? (dumb question)

[SushiFugu]

I'm quite curious, could someone explain what sort of technology is used to observe chemical reactions at such a small level? (such as that in the video)

Reminds me of...

[helioquake]

So one cell gets split and then they merge back together again and again?

Just like Eminem and Kim?

Reverse

[suv4x4]

"a scientist with the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, has found a way to reverse the process of cell division."

Eeewww!! Grosss!!

Anybody else also reminded of those "see me eat my hamburger in reverse" videos?

Re:We've been at war with cancer for over 50 years

[srn_test]

It's easy to lower the cancer death rate; make sure people die of something else first!

Males will all eventually get prostate cancer; the rates are rising because they aren't dieing of the things we traditionally died of in the past - communicable diseases, war, accident and heart disease.

If we got out and started a good war, fewer people would die of cancer! Think of Iraq as a big anti-cancer crusade.

Re:Video method? (dumb question)

[dthx1138]

I believe it's called a "micro-scope" Microscope [wikipedia.org]

Popular Mechanics hasn't covered this one yet as it's only been around for about 400 years

Ob: It's irreversible!

[Solra Bizna]

Like my raincoat!

-:sigma.SB

Re:The way it really happens

[suv4x4]

"And here [nature.com] is the video of cell division."

Why is this outrageous video not labeled "not safe for work" or something?!

Finally!

[Firehed]

I can use this cell undevision (fusion?) technique to revert myself to a giant sperm. And I'll be smart enough to choose the best genes before finding myself an equally oversized egg to start over. Who wouldn't want in-home eugenics?

d00d!

[Black Parrot]

The inverse of division is multiplication, so cell division is its own inverse.

*Kryten's head explodes*

Re:The way it really happens

[SillySnake]

The only thing I could think as I watched the video is that someone is about to call my phone and tell me "Seven Days"

Re:We've been at war with cancer for over 50 years

[Anonymous Coward]

The question is will they want to, given a reasonable possibility that half of the population will police the other armed with shark-mounted, Linux-running lasers?

Re:Does this mean ...

[ZSpade]

'"If we wait too long, however, it doesn't work'
So unfortunately, no. Your parents still have to live with their mistake.

Proof at Last!

[trongey]

Now we can prove evolution. Just reverse all the cells back to their previous state until we get back to the original single-cell organism.

OK. Sure, nobody would be around any more to see it, but that's beside the point.

It would also be a great opportunity for Earth to pass on that whole human mistake.

ASCII Version of Undivision

[Tablizer]

WHY WOULD YOU POST A VIDEO THAT NOBODY CAN WATCH?

Here is the ASCII version:

frame 1: O........O
frame 2: O.....O
frame 3: O..O
frame 4: OO
frame 5: O)
frame 6: O