"Sticky" stem cells make for better transplants
Enhancement of adhesion molecules improves the ability of blood-forming stem cells to take root in transplant recipients......»»
Human muscle cells come back from space, look aged
Astronauts' muscles atrophy in space, but we can identify the genes involved. Enlarge / Muscle atrophy is a known hazard of spending time on the International Space Station. (credit: NASA) Muscle-on-chip systems are thr.....»»
Scientists "cautiously optimistic" about AI"s role in drug discovery
The human body contains at least 20,000 different proteins, often called the "workhorses of the cell" because of their role in keeping cells healthy. Each protein consists of a unique string of amino acids that affects its shape and function—or dys.....»»
Electrical impedance tomography plus extracellular voltage activation technique simplifies drug screening
When developing new drugs, understanding their effects on ion channels in the body, such as the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) ion channel found in neurons and heart muscle cells, is critical. Blocking hERG channels can disrupt a normal hear.....»»
Green hydrogen: "Artificial leaf" becomes better under pressure
Hydrogen can be produced via the electrolytic splitting of water. One option here is the use of photoelectrodes that convert sunlight into voltage for electrolysis in so-called photoelectrochemical cells (PEC cells). A research team at HZB has now sh.....»»
Newly created super-black wood can improve telescopes, optical devices and consumer goods
Thanks to an accidental discovery, researchers at the University of British Columbia have created a new super-black material that absorbs almost all light, opening potential applications in fine jewelry, solar cells and precision optical devices......»»
Stem cell harmony: How solanaceae plants maintain homeostasis through receptor compensation
A pivotal study sheds light on the evolutionary conservation of stem cell homeostasis in Solanaceae, revealing how receptor compensation mechanisms ensure the continuous and orderly formation of plant organs. This research uncovers the genetic interp.....»»
ACE-ing protein detection in single cells
Since the 1950s, researchers have used a famous method invented by Wallace Coulter known as "flow cytometry" to characterize different types of immune cells in research studies and in blood samples from human individuals. This has enabled a much deep.....»»
Dual-action therapy shows promise against aggressive oral cancer
In a new study, scientists at Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine found a promising new way to treat a type of oral cancer known as oral squamous cell carcinoma. The method specifically targets the cancer cells through a combination of ni.....»»
Highways to health: Bicontinuous structures speed up cell migration
One of the most important but least understood aspects of healing is cell migration, or the process of cells moving from one part of the body to another. "If you are an ambulance out in the woods," says Karen Xu, an M.D/Ph.D. student in Medicine and.....»»
Parasite engineered to deliver therapy proteins to nerve cells
An international team of neurobiologists has developed a way to use a parasite to deliver protein therapies through the blood–brain barrier to treat nerve cell disorders. In their study published in Nature Microbiology, the group engineered the par.....»»
Boost creativity in schools and build STEM careers, say educators
It opens the mind and is at the heart of innovation, yet while creativity is recognized as a critical skill for Australia's economic future, it is typically confined to the arts, skipping other areas of the curriculum......»»
How do cells coordinate their behavior with other cells to create tissue-scale behaviors?
Cells communicate with one another during development, but what are the steps that enable them to transition from local cell-cell communication to a globally synchronized tissue-scale behavior?.....»»
New and improved drug-delivery molecules for skeletal muscle
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have created a new drug-delivery molecule, a zwitterionic polymer complex that can help get plasmid DNA inside cells when injected into skeletal muscle, a crucial step in the expression of therapeutic RN.....»»
Invasive, blood-sucking fish "may hold the key to understanding where we came from," say biologists
One of just two vertebrates without a jaw, sea lampreys that are wreaking havoc in Midwestern fisheries are simultaneously helping scientists understand the origins of two important stem cells that drove the evolution of vertebrates......»»
Scientists discover how yeast cells sense physical stresses on the membranes that protect them
Cell membranes play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity and functionality of cells. However, the mechanisms by which they perform these roles are not yet fully understood. Scientists from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), in collaboration wit.....»»
Scientists hijack natural delivery system to send engineered proteins to target cells
Each cell in the body has its own unique delivery system that scientists are working on harnessing to move revolutionary biological drugs—molecules like proteins, RNA and combinations of the two—to specific diseased parts of the body......»»
Method can analyze individual, still-living cells that may contain biomarkers for cancer and other deadly diseases
The Ivanov Lab at Northeastern University is paving the way to a whole variety of diagnostic tests that are possible off of a single blood draw, including—someday—cancer......»»
Stress granules found to play an unsuspected role in blood vessel formation
The behavior of the cells that make up our blood vessels is crucial to our well-being. Conditions such as inflammation, oxygen deprivation and viral infection can stress these cells and disrupt the formation of new, often pathological, blood vessels......»»
Researchers explore a single cell using advanced X-ray imaging techniques
Every plant, animal, and person is a rich microcosm of tiny, specialized cells. These cells are worlds unto themselves, each with their own unique parts and processes that elude the naked eye......»»
New genetic test can help eliminate a form of inherited blindness in dogs
Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is a group of inherited diseases that causes progressive degeneration of the light sensitive cells at the back of the eye. Dogs with PRA have normal sight at birth, but by the age of four or five they will be totally.....»»