Researchers Discover 75 million-year-old Blood Cells In Dinosaur Fossils

Researchers have discovered structures that appear to be red blood cells and collagen-like fibers in dinosaur bones that might be 75 million years old.

 Researchers said findings of the study indicate that surviving prehistoric soft tissue might be much more common than previously supposed.

"What is particularly exciting about our study is that we have discovered structures reminiscent of blood cells and collagen fibres in scrappy, poorly preserved fossils. This suggests that this sort of soft tissue preservation might be widespread in fossils," explained study co-author Dr Susannah Maidment, a junior research fellow Department of Earth Science and Engineering.

"Early indications suggest that these poorly preserved fossils may be useful pieces in the dinosaur jigsaw puzzle to help us to understand in more detail how dinosaurs evolved into being warm blooded creatures, and how different dinosaur species were related."

Researchers used eight samples provided by Natural History Museum's Sternberg and Cutler collections. After comparing the blood cell structures with a blood sample taken from an emu, they noted that fossil structures had some similarities with the emu sample, particularly in the organic signatures.

According to team, the findings of the study could help determine when and how dinosaurs evolved a warm-blooded, avian metabolism.

"We still need to do more research to confirm what it is that we are imaging in these dinosaur bone fragments, but the ancient tissue structures we have analyzed have some similarities to red blood cells and collagen fibres. If we can confirm that our initial observations are correct, then this could yield fresh insights into how these creatures once lived and evolved."

The study has been published in the journal Nature Communications.