A group of researchers recently conducted a study with some interesting findings on the effects of human plasma on aging mice.

The researchers collected plasma samples from humans, ranging from their 20s to 70s as well as human umbilical cord plasma. Over the course of several weeks, they injected the plasma into mice.

Next, the mice underwent a series of memory and cognitive tests. While the older plasma group performed no better, the mice injected with younger plasma improved.

Though it was the umbilical cord mice, and specifically the plasma protein known as TIMP2 that performed the best and drew their interest.

To further test this, they injected plasma with TIMP2 removed into the mice. The tests showed no improvement in memory. The group then injected plasma containing TIMP2 into the mice and began seeing improvements again.

A Long History of Contradictory Findings

Previous studies have shown that young blood has regenerative effects on older mice. These studies have baffled researchers, as others had contrary findings.

This has led a series of tests to find the reasons behind those regenerative effects. Many aging researchers currently fall into two camps. One believes that aging is due to a lack of good proteins; the other thinks that aging is due to a buildup of negative proteins.

Why Mice?

You may be wondering why studies like this use mice as test subjects. One reason is uniformity. All test mice are of the same purebred species, often genetically identical. Mice also breed quickly and have shorter lifespans. This allows researchers to observe several generations over the course of a single study.

Finally, mice are biologically close to humans. This makes genetic and behavioral studies are possible. That closeness is essential for studies to draw conclusions that may help humans down the road.

What Does This All Mean for Us?

So far, there is no sign that these findings will have the same effect in humans. The transition from mice to humans is not always perfect. Added to that, this is the first study to test plasma from human umbilical cords like this.

As such, it will be some time before scientists begin testing the effects on humans. The first steps to follow will be to replicate the outcomes of this study, followed by intense peer review.

As with all scientific findings, progress can be a slow go, but now there’s something to work from.