Electricity Reprograms Immune System for Faster Healing

Electricity Reprograms Immune System for Faster Healing
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Scientists at Trinity College Dublin have made a significant discovery, finding that electrical stimulation can “reprogram” immune cells to suppress inflammation and speed up healing, an article by SciTechDaily reported. Published in Cell Reports Physical Science, the study found that applying electrical currents to human macrophages—a type of white blood cell—shifted them into an anti-inflammatory state.

This electrical stimulation not only reduced inflammatory markers but also increased the expression of genes that promote the growth of new blood vessels. The treatment also helped to recruit stem cells to wounds, further aiding the healing process. Dr. Sinead O’Rourke, the study’s first author, stated that this is the first time it has been shown that electrical stimulation can shift human macrophages to support tissue repair. The findings suggest that electrical stimulation could become a new therapeutic option to enhance the body’s natural healing processes for a wide range of injuries and diseases.