Lipid droplets as endogenous intracellular microlenses
With the demand in real-time monitoring of endoplasmic variations and rapid detection of extracellular signals, a great number of approaches to bioimaging have been developed. The past few decades have witnessed a dramatic progress in optical imaging.....»»
Researchers harness blurred light to 3D-print high-quality optical components
Canadian researchers have developed a new 3D printing method called blurred tomography that can rapidly produce microlenses with commercial-level optical quality. The new method may make it easier and faster to design and fabricate a variety of optic.....»»
Researchers develop tiny droplets that harness laser light to detect disease markers
A team of researchers led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has created tiny droplets that, when activated by laser light, can detect viral protein biomarkers indicating the presence of certain diseases......»»
New signaling pathway decoded in the decomposition of damaged lysosomes
Lysosomes are surrounded by a lipid bilayer that separates the acidic environment and the digestive enzymes of the organelle from the cytoplasm. Damage to this layer—lysosomal membrane permeabilization, or LMP for short—can trigger inflammation a.....»»
Researchers discover two vesicle fusion mechanisms while studying vesicle movement in living cells
Cells intake substances from the outside world by encapsulating them in vesicles called endosomes, which are subsequently transported throughout the cell. During the transport process, vesicles fuse with other intracellular organelles. However, obser.....»»
Must mRNA be cloaked in a lipid coat to serve as a vaccine?
The Uchida Laboratory of Innovation Center of NanoMedicine has demonstrated that intradermal administration of mRNA alone (naked mRNA) without protection by nanoparticles induced robust vaccination against SARS CoV-2, a virus causing COVID-19, in mic.....»»
New single-cell analysis tech incorporates advanced fiber optics directly into microfluidic chips
Droplet microfluidics has revolutionized single-cell analysis, crucial for genomics, drug discovery, and diagnostics, by partitioning samples into nanoliter droplets for detailed cellular analysis. Yet, its broader adoption is hindered by the complex.....»»
Gene editing technology reveals molecular mechanisms governing diatom population density signals
The intricate dynamics of diatom blooms, influenced by a myriad of external factors and internal signals, continue to fascinate scientists. After recognizing the potential role of density perception and intracellular signaling in dictating these phen.....»»
Breaking the ice: Molecular insights into saltwater droplet freezing
In a new study, researchers have observed the freezing of saltwater droplets at a molecular level, offering new insights for de-icing and anti-icing technologies. Contrary to conventional wisdom, these droplets don't conform to the typical freezing p.....»»
Study demonstrates spontaneous self-organization of microdroplets through quasi one-dimensional confinement
Polymer systems composed of multiple components can spontaneously induce emulsion or microdroplets by mechanical mixing, as an intermediate state of macroscopic phase separation. Unfortunately, the size of generated droplets is nonuniform and their s.....»»
Research seeks to develop mRNA lipid nanoparticles for next-generation oral cancer tumor suppressor therapy
A study aiming to develop a lipid nanoparticles (LNP) platform for treating oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) utilizing p53 mRNA was presented at the 102nd General Session of the IADR, which was held in conjunction with the 53rd Annual Meeting of t.....»»
Team makes progress with fluorescent dyes to better visualize lipid membrane order in live cells
A new solvatochromic probe could help shed light on the relationship between lipid membrane fluidity and various cellular functions, report scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology and Kyushu University. Thanks to an innovative design, the propose.....»»
Study: Cicadas pee in jets, not droplets. Here’s why that’s kinda weird.
Come for the cicada video, stay for the scaling graphic of urination across animal kingdom. Cicadas' unique urination unlocks new understanding of fluid dynamics. Credit: Georgia Tech (Saad Bhamla/Elio Challita). Cicadas might be a.....»»
Optically trapped quantum droplets of light can bind together to form macroscopic complexes
Condensed matter systems and photonic technologies are regularly used by researchers to create microscale platforms that can simulate the complex dynamics of many interacting quantum particles in a more accessible setting. Some examples include ultra.....»»
Dancing droplets" new spin on water harvesting
A more efficient way to capture fresh water from the air could be inspired by a phenomenon of motion first glimpsed in bowls of breakfast cereal......»»
Study sheds light on relationship between mitochondrial calcium dynamics and autophagy
Autophagy is a self-eating process for recycling and rejuvenating cellular organelles and components. Intracellular calcium dynamics has been shown to be essential for the initiation of the autophagy process......»»
Lipid nanoparticles research closing in on genetic treatments for hereditary lung disease, vision loss
Researchers who work with tiny drug carriers known as lipid nanoparticles have developed a new type of material capable of reaching the lungs and the eyes, an important step toward genetic therapy for hereditary conditions like cystic fibrosis and in.....»»
Researchers observe the structural heterogeneity of a lipid scramblase
Researchers from Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University report in Nature Communications that TMEM16F, a transmembrane protein that facilitates the passive movement of phospholipids and ions across membranes, explores a larger.....»»
New molecules, inspired by space shuttles, advance lipid nanoparticle delivery for weight control
Inspired by the design of space shuttles, Penn Engineering researchers have invented a new way to synthesize a key component of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), the revolutionary delivery vehicle for mRNA treatments including the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moder.....»»
Uncovering how HIV assembles its lipid coat, which allows it to enter cells
New insights into how the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) curates and assembles its lipid envelope have been gleaned by RIKEN biologists. These findings into HIV biology could help to inform the search for new treatments. The paper is published in.....»»
Chromatin accessibility: A new avenue for gene editing
In a study recently published in Nature Genetics, researchers from Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University explore chromatin accessibility, i.e., endogenous access pathways to the genomic DNA, and its use as a tool for gene edi.....»»