斯坦福大学研究人员在扁形虫中发现了一种新型免疫细胞，命名为"ruptoblasts"[1]。这种细胞在激素activin的激活下，会在数秒到数分钟内迅速爆炸，释放物质杀死周围细胞后完全消失[1]。该研究成果已发表在期刊《Cell》2026年第189卷第14期[1]。
生物工程副教授Bo Wang对这一发现表示惊讶，他指出："我们从未预料到一个细胞会像炸弹一样爆炸并杀死周围的细胞"[1]。论文第一作者Chew Chai观察到细胞在释放物质后数秒到数分钟内爆裂[1]。研究表明，ruptoblasts仅在基础动物（如扁形虫）中发现，这表明这是一种早期进化的免疫策略[1]。科研人员认为，这种快速、局限性的细胞爆炸机制可能为开发针对感染和肿瘤的靶向治疗提供启示[1]。
Scientists at Stanford University have discovered a novel type of immune cell in flatworms that undergoes explosive cell death to combat pathogens and threats.[1] The newly identified cells, termed "ruptoblasts," activate in response to the hormone activin and rupture within seconds to minutes, releasing substances that kill surrounding cells before vanishing entirely.[1]
Bo Wang, an associate professor of bioengineering, expressed surprise at the mechanism: "We never expected that a cell could just explode like a bomb and kill the cells surrounding it."[1] Lead researcher Chew Chai observed that the cells release their contents and burst within this rapid timeframe.[1] The finding suggests this swift, localized form of cellular destruction may inspire the development of targeted therapies against infections and tumors.[1]
The research indicates that ruptoblasts represent an early evolutionary immune strategy, as they have been identified only in basal animals such as flatworms.[1] The study was published in Cell, volume 189, issue 14, in 2026.[1]