UMAINE TODAY • February 22, 2021
When the human body sustains injury, cells spring into action. New blood vessels emerge through a process called angiogenesis, and cells migrate in a coordinated campaign of healing. The ability to control these mechanisms has the potential to advance therapies ranging from cancer to wound treatment. Polyphenols, a type of bioactive compound that naturally occurs in certain plants, have emerged as candidates for enhancing or slowing these processes. Lowbush blueberries like those grown in Down East Maine are among the richest known sources of polyphenols. At the University of Maine, scientists are working to identify exactly which of these wild blueberry polyphenols at what concentrations influence cell migration, angiogenesis and inflammation, and how they can be applied in clinical settings.