Scientists identify molecular pathway that helps moving cells avoid aimless wandering

Findings from Johns Hopkins Medicine study have potential implications for understanding cancer cell spread

01-Apr-2021 - Working with fruit flies, scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have identified a new molecular pathway that helps steer moving cells in specific directions. The set of interconnected proteins and enzymes in the pathway act as steering and rudder components that drive cells toward an ...

The self-curving cornea

Cultivating 4D tissues

21-Jan-2019 - Scientists at Newcastle University have developed a biological system which lets cells form a desired shape by moulding their surrounding material - in the first instance creating a self-curving cornea. The cornea is the clear outer layer at the front of the eye ball. In the research, a flat ...

3D 'organ on a chip' could accelerate search for new disease treatments

30-Oct-2018 - Researchers have developed a three-dimensional 'organ on a chip' which enables real-time continuous monitoring of cells, and could be used to develop new treatments for disease while reducing the number of animals used in research. The device, which incorporates cells inside a 3D transistor made ...

Brain tissue from a petri dish

19-Apr-2017 - The most complex organ in humans is the brain. Due to its complexity and, of course, for ethical reasons, it is extremely difficult to do scientific experiments on it – ones that could help us to understand neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s, for example. Scientists at the Luxembourg ...

The origin of stem cells

Protein WOX2 is responsible for enabling plants to develop organs throughout their lives

10-Feb-2017 - Freiburg plant biologist Prof. Dr. Thomas Laux and his research group have presented initial findings on how shoot stem cells in plants form during embryogenesis, the process of embryonic development. Pluripotent stem cells can develop into any type of cell in an organism. In contrast to animals, ...

Exercise releases hormone that helps shed, prevent fat

30-Sep-2016 - If a workout feels like more pain than gain, here’s some motivation: Exercise releases a hormone that helps the body shed fat and keeps it from forming. A group led by a University of Florida Health researcher has learned more about how the hormone irisin helps convert calorie-storing white fat ...

Peptide-modified cultures demonstrate control over both tissue growth and location in vitro

10-Aug-2015 - “In vitro fabricated biological tissue would be a valuable tool to screen newly synthesized drugs or understand the tissue development process,” explain Takuya Matsumoto and his colleagues However tissues grown so far have not reached the size and final shape of natural tissue. Matsumoto and ...

UF scientists find first link in humans between memory and nerve cell production

26-Aug-2010 - Production of new nerve cells in the human brain is linked to learning and memory, according to a new study from the University of Florida. The research is the first to show such a link in humans. The findings, published in the journal Brain, provide clues about processes involved in age- and ...

Unlocking the secrets of cellular energy holds promise for obesity, diabetes and cancer

Researchers discover role for epigenetics in cellular energy regulation

19-Jul-2010 - A breakthrough on how cells regulate their energy is promising for clinical gains into diseases such as obesity, diabetes and cancer. Researchers at McGill University and University of Pennsylvania have uncovered new insights into how a protein known as the AMP-activated protein kinase, or AMPK, ...

Blocking tumor's 'death switch' paradoxically stops tumor growth

27-May-2010 - Every cell contains machinery for self-destruction, used to induce death when damaged or sick. But according to a new research study, a receptor thought to mediate cell suicide in normal cells may actually be responsible for the unrestrained growth of cancerous tumors. Blocking the activity of ...