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.....»»
Nano-sized probes reveal how cellular structure responds to pressure
By giving living cells a "nano-poke" and monitoring the resulting changes in the intracellular environment, researchers have gotten their first glimpse of how whole cells respond to external mechanical pressure......»»
Novel measurement technique for fluid-mixing phenomena using selective color imaging method
A novel measurement technique has been developed to visualize the fluid flow and distribution within two droplets levitated and coalesced in space using fluorescence-emitting particles. This technique enabled the estimation of fluid motion within eac.....»»
Rapid purification and characterization of circulating small extracellular vesicles on a label-free lab-on-a-chip
All cells secrete nanoscale extracellular vesicles naturally as lipid-bilayer delimited particles. Therefore they are valid biomarkers to identify a variety of diseases......»»
Engineering bacteria to biosynthesize intricate protein complexes
Protein cages found within microbes help its contents weather the harsh intracellular environment—an observation that has many bioengineering applications. Tokyo Tech researchers have recently developed an innovative bioengineering approach that us.....»»
Lipid nanoparticles that deliver mRNA to T cells hold promise against autoimmune diseases
Autoimmune disorders are among the most prevalent chronic diseases across the globe. Emerging treatments for autoimmune disorders focus on "adoptive cell therapies," or those using cells from a patient's own body to achieve immunosuppression. These t.....»»
This 3D-printed plate lets food droplets magically move without being touched
New "computational food" design incorporates electrowetting on dielectric technology. "Dancing Delicacies": Researchers at Monash University created a special plate enhanced with electrodes that moves liquid droplets ar.....»»
New camera offers ultrafast imaging at a fraction of the normal cost
Capturing blur-free images of fast movements like falling water droplets or molecular interactions requires expensive ultrafast cameras that acquire millions of images per second. In a new paper, researchers report a camera that could offer a much le.....»»
The physics of saltwater taffy
Air bubbles, oil droplets are the primary factors, plus emulsifiers for extra chewiness Enlarge / Saltwater taffy is made by stretching and pulling the sticky candy base to create air bubbles for a fluffy and chewy confection. (c.....»»
Study provides new insights into lipid droplet dynamics
In a study published in Developmental Cell, researchers led by Prof. Huang Xun from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences demonstrated the role of lipid droplet-localized CETN-SPDL1-L in the regulation.....»»
Nano droplets go skiing at high temperatures
Currently, many (nano)structures are grown in layers, one above the other, but their ordering on the atomic scale is generally far from perfect. Researchers from the University of Twente have aimed for a better understanding of these processes that c.....»»
The origin and functional diversification of the Pert-Arnt-Sim (PAS) domain—an intracellular sensor
Signal transduction and perception regulates biological activities to adapt to changing environments. The Pert-Arnt-Sim domains are commonly available sensors found across diverse receptors in bacteria, eukaryotes, and archaea. However, the extent of.....»»
Scientists prepare ISS experiment to study how droplets form in space
Dropcoal, short for drop coalescence, is a research project that studies how droplets form in space and on Earth. The results will grant insights into raindrop and cloud formation, fuel combustion and interactions between materials, all with broad im.....»»
The physics of fat droplets reveal DNA danger
Fat is a normal and necessary part of the body. Fat cells store and release energy, as well as play significant roles in hormonal regulation and immunity......»»
Scientists zoom in on the Asian monsoon season using satellite data
Scientists from Tokyo Metropolitan University and other institutes have studied new satellite data showing the diameter of rain droplets and the distribution of heavy ice in the atmosphere worldwide. They focused on the Asian monsoon region, finding.....»»
Unlocking the mysteries of freezing in supercooled water droplets
Clouds are a lot cooler than you might think. In fact, scientists might say they're super cool because they're made up of millions of supercooled water droplets, droplets that have been cooled below the freezing point but haven't yet turned into ice......»»
Why tiny metal droplets take longer to solidify into glass: Fundamental observation in materials science
Most people who hear the word 'glasses' will probably think of drinking glasses or corrective eyewear. Hardly anyone will think of metals. But metallic glasses, or 'amorphous metals' as they are also known, are playing an increasingly important role.....»»
New strategy decodes dynamic structure of proteins within cells
Protein dynamics play a crucial role in diverse functions. The intracellular environment significantly influences protein dynamics, particularly for intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs)......»»
Ultrasound-based microfluidic manipulation platform for airborne droplets
As science races toward automation and quick experiments, it is sometimes required to concurrently handle small amounts of liquids (droplets), from picoliters to microliters. Moreover, droplet jumping is required when transporting droplets to distant.....»»
Novel method reveals energy-dependent radiation damage to milled lamella by focused ion beam
Compared with the purified protein in vitro, intracellular biological macromolecules present a more complete and physiological conformation. Therefore, studying the three-dimensional structure of protein directly in vivo is the next goal of structura.....»»
New lipid nanoparticle-mRNA therapy combats melanoma in mouse models
Investigators at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have designed an innovative RNA-based strategy to activate dendritic cells—which play a key role in immune response—that eradicated tumors and prevented their recurrence in mouse models.....»»