Shark Antibodies
By Billie Rubin, Hemoglobin’s Catabolic Cousin, reporting from the labs of Stanford Blood Center
It turns out that sharks are not just robust killers of the ocean but that they have robust immune systems, too. Who knew? They rarely fall prey to infections and are exceptionally resilient. According to studies at La Trobe University in Melbourne, their antibodies can attach themselves to human cancer cells and actually stop them from spreading. It may also be possible that their antibodies could be used to fight other conditions such as malaria or rheumatoid arthritis.
So if you ever come into contact with shark blood, perhaps you’ll be protected from certain diseases and conditions or from getting your wound infected. There’s always a silver lining.
For more in depth information on this topic, visit La Trobe University’s website.