3 ms·

Macrophages are cells that take care of stuff like eating splinters that you can't get out. What if there was something we could eat that basically super-power

Macrophages are cells that take care of stuff like eating splinters that you can't get out. What if there was something we could eat that basically super-powered our macrophages to to it for us? They already eat the microplastics but they just sit inside them.[1] Digesting them might be poisonous I guess ... [1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304389423010798 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S03043...

pfdietz 2y ago
This is not a bad idea. The lysosomes in cells use some fairly intense chemicals to hydrolyse biopolymers, and macrophages produce oxidants like hypochlorite. But then, inflammation is a risk factor for cancer, perhaps because of side effects of those oxidants.
therobots927 2y ago
What would that be though? The macrophages would have to be supplied with the correct chemical? Seems like it would be easier to inject a fungus that can co exist with our cells. I recently read about Lichen in Sheldrake’s Entangled Life and how Lichen is not a single species or even in a single kingdom because it consists of a community of fungus and algae. In the same way that our cells encapsulated mitochondria, I wonder if the macrophages could work well with a (genetically modified?) fungi strain that could digest the plastic. I know this is far out and I’m hoping an expert on the subject could tell me if this has ever been discussed. Most people see fungus as a health threat but it’s an entire kingdom that we’ve only scratched the surface of understanding. If I were to go back to school I would probably study mycology.
rich_sasha 2y ago
I sense a new bullshit-based detox industry coming.
- therobots927 2y ago
  Yeah I hope I don’t give anyone ideas. You could make a lot of money selling mushroom supplements that supposedly contain the same fungus studied in this research.

pfdietz 2y ago

This is not a bad idea. The lysosomes in cells use some fairly intense chemicals to hydrolyse biopolymers, and macrophages produce oxidants like hypochlorite. But then, inflammation is a risk factor for cancer, perhaps because of side effects of those oxidants.

therobots927 2y ago

What would that be though? The macrophages would have to be supplied with the correct chemical? Seems like it would be easier to inject a fungus that can co exist with our cells. I recently read about Lichen in Sheldrake’s Entangled Life and how Lichen is not a single species or even in a single kingdom because it consists of a community of fungus and algae. In the same way that our cells encapsulated mitochondria, I wonder if the macrophages could work well with a (genetically modified?) fungi strain that could digest the plastic. I know this is far out and I’m hoping an expert on the subject could tell me if this has ever been discussed. Most people see fungus as a health threat but it’s an entire kingdom that we’ve only scratched the surface of understanding. If I were to go back to school I would probably study mycology.

rich_sasha 2y ago

I sense a new bullshit-based detox industry coming.

therobots927 2y ago
Yeah I hope I don’t give anyone ideas. You could make a lot of money selling mushroom supplements that supposedly contain the same fungus studied in this research.