It has long been thought that only nerve and heart cells use electric impulses to communicate, while epithelial cells—which compose the linings of our skin, organs and body cavities—are mute, serving mostly as protective barriers that can absorb and secrete various substances.

“Epithelial cells do things that no one has ever thought to look for,” says Granick. “When injured, they ‘scream’ to their neighbors, slowly, persistently and over surprising distances. It’s like a nerve’s impulse, but 1,000 times slower.” His team’s curiosity-driven approach, blending polymer science and biology, unveiled this hidden cellular signaling.