Researchers in Seattle think that they may have discovered a means by which to induce a reversible condition in mice that is similar to hibernation. This state of 'suspended animation' might work on humans and could be a critical factor leading to improvements in trauma care and organ transplantation. The results are being published today in Science magazine.

Mark Roth, a cell biologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center lead the study, in which a warm blooded animal was placed in a physical state where it exhibited no heartbeat or respiration.

Roth's interest in this field of study grew out of a fascination to, as he put it that 'space between being alive and dead.' The study originally was set up to study the behavior of chromosomes in parasitic worms. During the process, Roth's team began looking at the genes in worms that are involved the metabolism of oxygenation. Once they were able to induce hibernation in the worms, they moved on to fruit flies and zebra fish before attempting the reversal on mice.

Roth explains that, obviously, when the brain is deprived of oxygen, damage will occur. The trick is to reduce the oxygen levels so much that the animal stops breathing and all other metabolic activity ceases. In this study, Roth used hydrogen sulfide on the mice, and kept them in a suspended state for six hours. Once they were revived, they were examined and found to have no ill effects from the experience.

This seems to be working because hydrogen sulfide is already present in the body and is apparently responsible for the regulation of body temperature and metabolic activity. Roth’s theory is that by increasing the levels of a substance already present in the body, he can induce hibernation. He believes that this process can be used on humans and says, 'It should work the same for us as it did in mice. We have the same basic chemistry.'