Cells use concentration gradients as a compass
Biophysicists at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munch have developed a new theory, which accounts for the observation that cells can perceive their own shapes, and use this information to direct the distribution of proteins inside the cell......»»
Gotta go? We’ve finally found out what makes urine yellow
The yellow color comes from bacteria metabolizing waste from red blood cells. Enlarge (credit: Science Photo Library) There are many mysteries in life that we end up shrugging off. Why is urine yellow? It just is, right?.....»»
Cultivated meat production costs could fall significantly: Bovine muscle engineered to produce their own growth signals
Cellular agriculture—the production of meat from cells grown in bioreactors rather than harvested from farm animals—is taking leaps in technology that are making it a more viable option for the food industry. One such leap has now been made at th.....»»
Study shows cells respond quickly to small light-induced micro-environment movements
Life sciences and photonics researchers at Tampere University have made a remarkable discovery in studying superficial cells' response to mechanical stimuli. By simulating the deformation of the extracellular matrix below the cells, researchers have.....»»
Researchers elucidate the variability and adaptability of internode elongation in barley
Plant architecture is the outcome of several successive developmental processes that can be classified into two events: Organogenesis and extension. Organogenesis stems from the meristems (stem cells) that give rise to different types of organs (e.g......»»
Here’s how Honda and GM are building production hydrogen fuel cells
Uses include mining equipment, class 8 trucks, and power generators. Enlarge / Anode and cathode "inks" are applied to carbon-fiber paper. (credit: GM/Honda) BROWNSTOWN, Mich.—Today, a joint venture between General Mot.....»»
Cellular scaffolding rewired to make microscopic railways
Princeton researchers have learned to harness the gossamer scaffolding that maintains the structure of living cells and used it to develop a nanotechnology platform. The technique eventually could lead to advances in soft robotics, new medicines, and.....»»
Team unravels activation mechanism of a protein that combats bacteria
The human immune system is constantly fending off a wide range of invaders—a feat that requires a diverse array of cellular troops and molecular weaponry. Although a great deal is already known about immune defense cells and the strategies they emp.....»»
Scientists identify potential new method for diagnosing male infertility
Researchers have discovered a new phenomenon where sperm from mice can induce non-reproductive cells from hamsters to fuse and form a syncytia—a cell with multiple nuclei......»»
Cells" electric fields keep nanoparticles at bay, scientists confirm
The humble membranes that enclose our cells have a surprising superpower: They can push away nano-sized molecules that happen to approach them. A team including scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has figured out w.....»»
Follow the salt: Connecting salt concentrations and motion in roundworms
Joint research led by Ayaka Matsumoto and Yuichi Iino of the University of Tokyo demonstrates that temporal decrease in salt concentration leads to the activation of the neck motor neuron of roundworms, but only in a specific phase of its activity......»»
Immune cells drive sex reversal in zebrafish, a discovery that could improve treatments for female infertility
Mutations that disrupt development of germ cells cause infertility or birth defects. Mutations that cause female infertility in humans, such as mutations in the gene BMP15, also cause infertility in zebrafish. However, female zebrafish can undergo a.....»»
Study shows RNAs do work outside of cells to guide the immune system
Ribonucleic acids (RNAs) are the ultimate cellular insiders. They perform several critical jobs, such as ferrying genetic instructions from a living organism's DNA to its protein-making machinery (a process key to cellular processes) and controlling.....»»
CRISPR off-switches: A path towards safer genome engineering?
Using CRISPR, an immune system bacteria use to protect themselves from viruses, scientists have harnessed the power to edit genetic information within cells. In fact, the first CRISPR-based therapeutic was recently approved by the FDA to treat sickle.....»»
Scientists make COVID receptor protein in mouse cells
A team of scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory and Columbia University has demonstrated a way to produce large quantities of the receptor that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, binds to on the s.....»»
Japanese lander touches down on the moon, but suffers power glitch
A Japanese mission has succeeded in landing on the moon, but likely won't last for more than a day due to an issue with its solar cells......»»
Japanese lander touches down on the moon but suffers power glitch
A Japanese mission has succeeded in landing on the moon, but likely won't last for more than a day due to an issue with its solar cells......»»
Exploding kamikaze bacteria: How a few "soldier" cells confer virulence to a population by sacrificing themselves
You suddenly feel sick—pathogenic bacteria have managed to colonize and spread in your body. The weapons they use for their invasion are harmful toxins that target the host's defense mechanisms and vital cell functions. Before these deadly toxins c.....»»
Energy supply in human cells is subject to quality control, researchers discover
Researchers at the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) have discovered a new quality control mechanism that regulates energy production in human cells. This process takes place in mitochondria, the power plants of the cell......»»
New technique provides insight into how proteins involved in cellular processes communicate via extracellular vesicles
One way that cells communicate with one another is through the secretion and uptake of extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs convey a multitude of cargoes, including proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. Their uptake affects the function of recipient cells.....»»
Israeli company gets green light to make world"s first cultivated beef steaks
An Israeli company has received a preliminary green light from health officials to sell the world's first steaks made from cultivated beef cells, not the entire animal, officials said. The move follows approval of lab-grown chicken in the U.S. last y.....»»