Bacteria 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.
Sickle Cell Anemia
GAS7 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 moreSocial determinant screening useful for families with pediatric sickle cell disease
Individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) face the burdens of chronic illness and often racial disparities, both of which may increase vulnerability to adverse social determinants of health (SDoH). For children with SCD, living in poverty is associated with lower quality of life, higher healthcare utilization and higher complication rates.
Read moreResearchers create new viral vector for improved gene therapy in sickle cell disease
Researchers have developed a new and improved viral vector — a virus-based vehicle that delivers therapeutic genes — for use in gene therapy for sickle cell disease. In advanced lab tests using animal models, the new vector was up to 10 times more efficient at incorporating corrective genes into bone marrow stem cells than the conventional vectors currently used, and it had a carrying capacity of up to six times higher, the researchers report.
Read moreFor the first time, professor observes crystallized iron product, hemozoin, made in mammals
For the first time ever, a professor has observed a crystallized iron product called hemozoin being made in mammals, with widespread implications for future research and treatment of blood disorders. Findings could be used to treat sickle cell disease and malaria patients, while opening up diverse research avenues across immunology, parasitology, neuroscience, microbiology, and even urology.
Read moreAfrican American children respond differently to asthma medications
African Americans suffer asthma more often and more severely than Caucasian patients. However, clinical trials that have shaped treatment guidelines have included few African Americans. A new report demonstrates a shortcoming of that history. Researchers report that African American children respond differently than African American adults and Caucasian adults and children to step-up therapies for inadequately controlled asthma.
Read moreCell-based therapies for arthritis and osteoporosis
A new report highlights the latest advances in cell-based therapies for the treatment of disorders of the musculoskeletal system, such as arthritis and osteoporosis, and it identifies key unanswered questions that should be addressed through ongoing research.
Read moreTailored 'cell sheets' to improve post-operative wound closing and healing
Scientists have designed a new method for post-operative wound closing and healing that is both fast and effective. This strategy revolves around engineered 'cell sheets' — or layers of skin-based cells. The procedure culminates in a wound dressing that is custom made for a specific cut or lesion that can be used to effectively treat open skin areas after surgeries. The findings were published in Scientific Reports on July 18th.
Read moreNew method reveals how damage occurs in human biological cells due to mechanical fatigue
Researchers have developed a novel way to measure how mechanical fatigue affects biological cells. They also have established the important role of this effect in influencing physical properties of biological cells such as red blood cells (RBCs). This new technique assesses the mechanical integrity and fatigue behavior of RBCs using a general microfluidics method that incorporates amplitude-modulated electro-deformation. This method has important applications for mechanical fatigue studies in conjunction with other microenvironments related to health and materials engineering.
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