Spiny mouse fibroblasts favor glycolysis and resist stress

In primary ear pinna fibroblasts isolated from spiny mice, rabbits, laboratory mice, and rats, researchers tested how cellular metabolism influences resilience. Fibroblasts from highly regenerative spiny mice and rabbits exhibited a baseline preference for glycolysis, which supported lower reactive oxygen species production. Mitochondria from spiny mouse fibroblasts were low respiring, depolarized, and consistently large and spherical across fetal, young, and old animals. Fibroblasts from all three spiny mouse age groups remained highly resistant to oxidative stress. In contrast, rabbit, laboratory mouse, and rat fibroblasts retained typical polarized, tubular mitochondrial networks. Isolated rabbit and spiny mouse fibroblasts also shared lower oxygen consumption efficiency even without a potential gradient. The authors conclude these findings support a shared metabolic phenotype in regenerative stromal cells that increases cellular resilience.