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Updated: Dec 15, 2025

Tissue Collection of Bats for -Omics Analyses and Primary Cell Culture
Published on: October 23, 2019
The World Goes Bats: Living Longer and Tolerating Viruses
Vera Gorbunova1, Andrei Seluanov1, Brian K Kennedy2
1Departments of Biology and Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA.
Abstract:
For centuries, people believed that bats possessed sinister powers. Bats are thought to be ancestral hosts to many deadly viruses affecting humans including Ebola, rabies, and most recently SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. However, bats themselves tolerate these viruses without ill effects. The second power that bats have is their longevity. Bats live much longer than similar-sized land mammals. Here we review how bats' ability to control inflammation may be contributing to their longevity. The underlying mechanisms may hold clues to developing new treatments for age-related diseases. Now may be the time to use science to exploit the secret powers of bats for human benefit.
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