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  • RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

Why that tattoo is yours for life

Immune cells transfer bits of pigment to their neighbours when they die.
A man shows a faded tattoo on his belly

Tattoos persist for decades, but scientists have debated exactly why. Credit: James L. Amos/Corbis/Getty

Tattoos last a lifetime. Now, experiments with tattooed mice might explain why: immune cells called macrophages ‘recycle’ dark pigments, keeping the ink in place.

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Nature 555, 289 (2018)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-02788-3

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