Found blood cells in dinosaur fossil foundations of 75 million years

The scientists discovered residual traces of red blood cells and connective tissue in dinosaur fossil foundations of 75 million years old.

Detection of blood cells in dinosaur fossil claws

According to the BBC, scientists at Imperial University London , England, recently examined fossilized theropod dinosaur claws in a gallery at the London Museum of Natural History . They found tiny egg-shaped structures, along with a more dense core inside like red blood cells . In other fossil fragments, they obtained many long fibers similar to those found in tendons, ligaments and animal skin today.

The blood cell structure is found in the fossil foundations of theropod dinosaurs, dating back 75 million years.(Photo: BBC)

The team used a spectrum analyzer to understand the chemical composition of the structure known as collagen protein and red blood cells in fossils. They found small fragments in collagen that looked like amino acids, which made up the protein. In addition, red blood cells of theropod dinosaurs are very similar to red blood cells of emu or Australian ostrich , a descendant of dinosaurs.

Circular structures are considered remnants of red blood cells.(Photo: BBC)

" There is a very special relationship in the vertebrate group, the smaller the red blood cell, the faster the metabolic rate. The faster the metabolic rate will tend to be the blood. hot, in contrast to the slower metabolic rate, will be cold-blooded , "said Maidment, a member of the research team.

Scientists have long argued over whether dinosaurs are hot- blooded or cold-blooded , but they have not yet reached a conclusion about this. The red blood cells in the study were smaller than the emu. However, it is because they get smaller and shrink over time.

We still do not understand the relationship between red blood cell size and the metabolic rate inside dinosaurs. So the research team needed a larger sample from many different dinosaurs to shed light on the topic of debate.

"Most close relatives will carry the same collagen structure. If we can extract some collagen and find them in many dinosaurs, it will prove the relationship between Maidment of the dinosaurs' relatives , Maidment said.

Australian ostrich, descendant of theropod dinosaurs.(Photos: Wikipedia)