The Global Syndicator - cell biology

Border control: Study shows how proteins permit entry to a cell

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 01:58:28 +0000

The means by which proteins provide a ‘border control’ service, allowing cells to take up chemicals and substances from their surroundings, whilst keeping others out, is revealed in unprecedented molecular detail for the first time today (16 October) in Science Express.

Scientists identify a molecule that coordinates the movement of cells

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:02:30 +0000

Even cells commute. To get from their birthplace to their work site, they sequentially attach to and detach from an elaborate track of exceptionally strong proteins known as the extracellular matrix.

Biology in pictures: Synchiropus splendidus (Herre, 1927)

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 22:06:18 +0000

Synchiropus splendidus (Herre, 1927) on Flickr - Photo Sharing!.

Aging gracefully requires taking out the trash

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 18:22:05 +0000

Suppressing a cellular cleanup-mechanism known as autophagy can accelerate the accumulation of protein aggregates that leads to neural degeneration. In an upcoming issue of Autophagy, scientists at th

10-fold life span extension reported in simple organism

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 20:32:48 +0000

Biologists have created baker’s yeast capable of living to 800 in yeast years without apparent side effects. The basic but important discovery, achieved through a combination of dietary and genetic changes, brings science closer to controlling the survival and health of the unit of all living systems: the cell.

Researchers discover a gene that might control fat accumulation

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 22:47:24 +0000

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found that a single gene might control whether or not individuals tend to pile on fat, a discovery that may point to new ways to fight obesity and diabetes.

MIT creates 3D images of living cell

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 04:31:16 +0000

A new imaging technique developed at MIT has allowed scientists to create the first 3D images of a living cell, using a method similar to the X-ray CT scans doctors use to see inside the body. The technique, described in a paper published in the Aug.

A new brake on cellular energy production discovered

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 13:30:08 +0000

A condition that has to be met for the body to be able to keep warm, move and even survive is that the mitochondria - the cells’ power stations - release the right amounts of energy. Scientists at K

Evidence found for novel brain cell communication

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 23:39:48 +0000

n article published today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences provides strong evidence for a novel type of communication between nerve cells in the brain. The findings may have relevanc

Scientists find brown fat master switch

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 22:40:47 +0000

Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have identified a long-sought “master switch” in mice for the production of brown fat, a type of adipose tissue that generates heat and counters obesity caused by overeating.

Researchers reverse symptoms in mice of leading inherited cause of mental retardation

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 18:54:41 +0000

Researchers at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT have, for the first time, reversed symptoms of mental retardation and autism in mice. The mice were genetically manipulated to model Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), the leading inherited cause of mental retardation and the most common genetic cause of autism.

Recording a Cell’s Dying Gasp

Sat, 21 Apr 2007 21:02:08 +0000

Scientists in the United Kingdom have developed a way to monitor the health of individual cells by recording their electrical activity in much the same way that an electrocardiogram (EKG) monitors the heart.

Scientists unlock mystery of embryonic stem cell signaling pathway

Sat, 24 Mar 2007 16:15:05 +0000

A newly discovered small molecule called IQ-1 plays a key role in preventing embryonic stem cells from differentiating into one or more specific cell types, allowing them to instead continue growing a

Scientists develop new procedure to differentiate human embryonic stem cells

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 13:28:10 +0000

Scientists have developed a new procedure for the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells, with which they have created the first transplantable source of lung epithelial cells. The method involves the use of protein markers under the control of cell-specific promoters to convert undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells into highly-specialized cells.

Regulating the nuclear architecture of the cell

Sun, 10 Dec 2006 21:35:44 +0000

An organelle called the nucleolus resides deep within the cell nucleus and performs one of the cell’s most critical functions: it manufactures ribosomes, the molecular machines that convert the genetic information carried by messenger RNA into proteins that do the work of life.