Wake-up call: Cellular sleep isn't as harmless as once thought
New research into the mechanics of cellular sleep and shutdown could shed light on the aging process and how to potentially intervene.
Read moreLymphoma
Embryonic development: Earlier origin of neural crest cells
Neural crest cells have been thought to originate in the ectoderm, the outermost of the three germ layers formed in the earliest stages of embryonic development. But their capacity to form derivatives like bone and tooth-forming cells defies fundamental concepts in developmental and stem cell biology. A research team has found a solution to this mystery by demonstrating an earlier origin of the neural crest in chick embryos.
Read moreMarked slowdown of cell division rates in old age
In a novel study comparing healthy cells from people in their 20s with cells from people in their 80s, researchers say they have documented that cell division rates appear to consistently and markedly slow down in humans at older ages.
Read moreNew treatment may reverse celiac disease
A phase 2 clinical trial using a new technology show it is possible to induce immune tolerance to gluten in individuals with celiac disease. After treatment with the technology, the patients were able to eat gluten with a substantial reduction in inflammation.
Read moreBacteria must be 'stressed out' to divide
Bacterial cell division is controlled by both enzymatic activity and mechanical forces, which work together to control its timing and location.
Bioprinting: Living cells in a 3D printer
A high-resolution bioprinting process has been developed: Cells can now be embedded in a 3D matrix printed with micrometer precision — at a printing speed of one meter per second, orders of magnitude faster than previously possible. Tissue growth and the behavior of cells can be controlled and investigated particularly well by embedding the cells in a delicate 3D framework. This is achieved using so called 'bioprinting' techniques.
Read moreGAS7 protein allows cells to eat
Phagocytosis can be viewed as a primitive immune system used by all cells. When a pathogen is near the cell, the cell membrane will deform to engulf the pathogen and dispose of it. Researchers have found that a two-dimensional sheet formed by the protein GAS7 is critical for this process, identifying through crystallography and microscopy two key hydrophilic loops in the protein.
Read moreCreatine powers T cells' fight against cancer
The study, conducted in mice, is the first to show that creatine uptake is critical to the anti-tumor activities of killer T cells, the foot soldiers of the immune system.
Read moreA higher resolution image of human lung development
Researchers provide clearer picture of how lungs develop and discover novel markers to differentiate populations of lung cells implicated in lung diseases of premature babies.
Read moreWhen added to gene therapy, plant-based compound may enable faster, more effective treatments
Today's standard process for administering gene therapy is expensive and time-consuming — a result of the many steps required to deliver the healthy genes into the patients' blood stem cells to correct a genetic problem. Scientists believe they have found a way to sidestep some of the current difficulties, resulting in a more efficient gene delivery method that would save money and improve treatment outcomes.
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