Editorial Team
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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : October 3, 2012 11:27 AM IST
According to a new study by researchers from the Queen Mary, University of London, the answer to looking young could be in sea cucumbers and sea urchins, which are able to change the elasticity of collagen within their bodies. The study was published in the journals PLOS One and General and Comparative Endocrinology.
Researchers found the genes for "messenger molecules" known as peptides in marine creatures such as sea urchins and sea cucumbers. These peptides, released by cells, tell other cells in their bodies what to do.
"Probably the most exciting discovery from our research was finding genes encoding peptides that cause rapid stiffening or softening of collagen in the body wall of sea cucumbers," said lead researcher, Professor Maurice Elphick. "As we get older, changes in collagen cause wrinkling of our skin, so if we can find out how peptides cause the body wall of a sea cucumber to quickly become stiff or soft then it might lead to new ways to keeping skin looking young," he added.
"We found that sea urchins have a peptide that is very similar to calcitonin, a hormone that regulates our bones to make sure that they remain strong," Elphick said.
