Insect-eating bats navigate effortlessly in the dark and dolphins and killer whales gobble up prey in murky waters thanks in part to specific changes in a set of 18 genes involved in the development of the cochlear ganglion — a group of nerves that transmit sound from the ear to the brain, according to a new study.
Read moreCurrent biology research relies on the ability to purify cell types using antibodies or transgenic constructs. However, antibody availability is often limited, and genetic manipulation is labor intensive or sometimes impossible. To date, no universal method exists to enrich for cell types without a priori knowledge of cell type markers. Here, we propose GateID, a computational method that combines single-cell transcriptomics with FACS index sorting to purify cell types using only native cellular properties.
Read moreBiomedical engineers have devised a machine learning approach to modeling the interactions between complex variables in engineered bacteria that would otherwise be too cumbersome to predict. Their algorithms are generalizable to many kinds of biological systems.
Read moreDeoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), is the macromolecule that holds all hereditary and genetic information. Continuously under assault, alterations and damage to DNA can lead to many different health issues, including cancer. DNA is highly regulated within cells, where multiple mechanisms are at play to repair and protect its integrity. Scientists are still investigating these mechanisms to fully comprehend how these DNA repair processes are managed. Researchers recently identified a new mechanism that controls DNA repair.
Read moreEngineers have shown that the length of collagen fibers has a roll to play in the ability of normal cells to become invasive.
Read moreJellyfish are animals that possess the unique ability to regenerate body parts. A team of scientists has now revealed the cellular mechanisms that give jellyfish these remarkable 'superpowers.'
Read moreA team of evolutionary biologists have demonstrated that some limb muscles known to be present in many mammals but absent in the adult human are actually formed during early human development and then lost prior to birth. These findings offer insight into how our arms and legs evolved from our mammalian ancestors, and also help explain rare limb anomalies found in humans born with congenital malformations.
Read moreScientists propose a new method for calculating populations of the Antillean manatee, a marine mammal in danger of extinction, through underwater recordings.
Read moreThe team behind the revolutionary 3D SCAPE microscope announces today a new version of this high-speed imaging technology. They used SCAPE 2.0 to reveal previously unseen details of living creatures — from neurons firing inside a wriggling worm to the 3D dynamics of the beating heart of a fish embryo, with far superior resolution and at speeds up to 30 times faster than their original demonstration.
Read moreSuccess is no accident: To reach your goal you need perseverance. But where does the motivation come from? Scientists have now identified the neural circuit in the brain of fruit flies which makes them perform at their best when searching for food.
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