Anhydrobiosis

Anhydrobiosis is a form of cryptobiosis in which an organism survives extreme drying by entering a dehydrated state. It can resume activity after water returns.

Cryptobiosis: A reversible state of extremely low metabolic activity that allows an organism to survive otherwise lethal conditions. Anhydrobiosis is the drying-triggered form of this broader survival state.
Water potential: A measure of the free energy of water that predicts its movement between locations. A falling water potential drives water out of cells during drying.
Tardigrade: A microscopic animal with eight legs, many species of which can survive severe environmental stress. Some tardigrades contract into a tun during drying and recover after rehydration.
Lyophilization: A drying method that freezes a material and removes ice by sublimation under reduced pressure. It preserves biological materials by removing water, though it does not itself confer anhydrobiosis.
Water replacement hypothesis: A hypothesis that compatible solutes protect biomolecules by replacing some interactions normally provided by water. It offers one explanation for how sugars protect structures during drying.
Trehalose: A nonreducing sugar that can stabilize proteins and membranes during cellular dehydration. Some anhydrobiotic organisms accumulate it as water loss begins.
Osmosis: The net movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane toward higher solute concentration. Osmotic forces shape the cellular water loss that precedes anhydrobiosis.
Resurrection plant: A plant capable of surviving near-total desiccation and recovering when water becomes available. Its leaves can dry almost completely, then regain function after rewatering.
Seed banking: The long-term storage of seeds under controlled conditions to conserve plant genetic diversity. Many stored seeds tolerate drying, but their survival depends on species-specific limits.
Desiccation-induced gene expression: Changes in gene activity triggered by water loss in an organism or cell. Comparisons across species help identify which protective responses are shared or unique.

Linked from 7 pages