The lungs were only known for breathing. But a new study from University of California San Francisco reveals that it does more than that. Researchers found out that the bone marrow isn't the only part of the body responsible for blood production, but the lungs also perform this function.
Scientists should acknowledge that there are still a lot of things they need to discover, even in the human body. Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, announced in January that the lungs have a hidden feature that is involved in blood production, IFL Science reported. The researchers found that the lungs new function involves producing over half of the body's platelets.
The platelets bind blood together preventing wounds from bleeding out. Platelets are also involved in the blood circulation of the body. This means the lungs are not just for breathing, but also for keeping the optimal performance of the cardiovascular system.
It has been a long standing knowledge that blood production only happens in the bone marrow during hematpoiesis. Scientists from the University of California, San Francisco discovered the new function of the lungs by studying how platelets circulate in the lungs of a living mice, Tech Times reported. They did this by modifying the mice, making its platelets glow green.
Although the experiments are carried out on mice, the organs of these little critters closely resembles that of a human being. Through the procedure the scientists used, they saw that the platelets travel back and forth between the lungs and the marrow.
UCSF professor of medicine Mark Looney said that their finding brings a new light to how scientists view the lungs. They found that the lungs aren't just for respiration, but also plays a vital role in the blood, he said. He added that "studying abroad" in various organs is common in stem cell education.
