Single Cells Show Learning Abilities, Challenging Long-Held Beliefs

New research reveals that simple organisms like ciliates and amoebae can exhibit habituation, a basic form of learning previously thought exclusive to complex life forms.

The study, conducted by Harvard Medical School and the Centre for Genomic Regulation, used mathematical modeling to demonstrate habituation in single-cell organisms.
This research suggests that cells are capable of complex behaviors, potentially altering our understanding of cellular functions and evolutionary biology.
The findings could have implications for cancer immunology, proposing that immune cells might be reprogrammed to better recognize and attack cancer cells.
Researchers identified two types of molecular memory within cells, enabling them to process and remember information over varying time spans.
The study's results need to be confirmed with biological data, but they pave the way for future experiments that could lead to significant breakthroughs.