Tag Archives: cell
What is really driving our need for food, besides the pleasure of taste?
We all know that this need is related, in some way, with life sustainability, but just how, exactly? The task of converting food into energy –and back again into organic compounds– is carried out by our metabolism,
Measuring what cells feel using the nano-epsilon dot method
When we walk on the sand, a trampoline or a concrete pavement, we can feel the hardness, softness and springiness of the ground and respond by changing the way we move. The way we respond depends on
Pass the salt, please! Understanding how cells deal with high salt
Table salt, a molecule made up of the charged ions sodium and chloride, is an essential nutrient fundamental to life and once worth its weight in gold. Historically a precious commodity, salt also helped civilizations develop because
On their way out: Structural HIV proteins team up before escaping from infected cells
The human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV ) infects and eventually destroys the immune cells of infected patients. This causes the life-threatening medical condition called acquired immunodeficiency syndrome ( AIDS ). A cure for HIV/AIDS does not exist,
Zinc – a promising supplement for the immune system
Zinc is essential for basic functions within cells of the human body. Hence, zinc deficiency is associated with impaired immune functions as dermatitis, dysfunction of the immune system, hypogonadism, and growth retardation. Under normal conditions only low
Characterizing the whac-a-mole concept of a bispecific antibody targeting cancer cells
One of the great promises of antibodies is to be magic bullets that specifically target diseased cells without affecting normal cells. Oncology researchers identify targets on tumor cells that are unique, overexpressed, or oncogenic drivers that can
Nanoformulations for cancer therapy
Cancer is a major disease responsible for death in human beings. A lot of research has been performed to develop improved diagnostic tools as well as drugs to treat cancer. Effectiveness of therapeutics in cancerous malignancy is
How do neurons develop and regenerate?
Identifying how neurons form a functioning network provides the background for knowing how to manage, treat, and prevent neurological disorders, as well as promote healing after injury to the nervous system. NICHD researchers uncovered a new pathway
Using genome-scale models to predict biological capabilities
Rapid advances in DNA sequencing and synthesis technologies have revolutionized the study of life sciences. With these new technologies come new challenges. The massive amount of new data generated using these technologies must be curated, managed, and
Helpful tool for the characterization of cancer
Follicular lymphoma is a sort of blood cancer and among the most frequent subtypes of indolent (painless) lymphomas. Most patients are diagnosed very late, when the illness is in an advanced stage. The origins of the tumor
Cell division drives collective motion in cell monolayers
Cell division is essential to morphogenesis, tissue spreading, and tumor invasion. In particular, the hallmark of tumor invasion is the ability of cancerous cells to divide in extreme numbers. Our findings on the effect of cell division
New biomimetic materials for muscle regeneration
Skeletal muscle formation derives from a coordinated sequence of molecular and cellular changes, ultimately leading to the expression of large, multinucleated contractile fibers, characterized by a highly ordered assembly of striated myofibrils. To form contractile fibers, developing
Sandwiches to better understand cells
The human body is formed by complex organ systems. These organ systems are moreover composed by cells of different types that have to co-operate in order to make the body work properly. This is the reason why
An intracellular membrane system helps cells to divide
Cell duplication is the fundamental requirement for the development of multi-cellular organisms, a process that relies on two basic events: replication of the genetic information and the consequent separation of this information into two daughter cells. The
A novel protein called nischarin
Nischarin is a large protein that is present in the nucleus and cytoplasm of cells. So far, diseases associated with the NISCH gene include hypertension, dry mouth, morphine dependence, depression, anxiety, thick heart walls, congestive heart failure,
