Researchers at the University of Cambridge successfully created primordial germ cells from human embryonic stem cells, a crucial step in early mammalian development. The study identified a critical gene, SOX17, involved in directing human stem cells to become these cells, and showed that PGCs can be made from reprogrammed adult cells.
Tropical Cyclone Kate formed over the Indian Ocean on Dec. 24, with NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite capturing its visible image. The storm is expected to bring strong winds and rough seas to the Cocos Keeling Islands on Dec. 25 and 26.
Researchers used optogenetics to record synaptic transmissions from light-sensitive neurons to interneurons in the mouse barrel cortex. The study revealed cell-type-specific synaptic connectivity and transmission patterns, shedding new light on brain function.
Researchers reconstruct genetic family tree of Pheidole ants, finding two main groups with distinct evolutionary histories in the Americas and Europe/Asia/Africa/Australia. The study reveals a deterministic pattern in climate distribution, suggesting that Pheidole's success is linked to a key innovation.
A nationwide project has revealed 12 new genetic causes of developmental disorders, including intellectual disabilities and congenital heart defects. The Deciphering Developmental Disorders (DDD) project sequenced DNA from over 1,000 children to identify the genes responsible for their conditions.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered a safety lock mechanism in the enzyme RAG that prevents helter-skelter clipping of DNA. This discovery provides new insights into how the immune system regulates gene expression and could lead to better understanding of immunodeficiency and cancer.
A novel study has provided an answer to the long-standing question of how cells control their size and maintain stable distributions. Researchers found that cells follow a simple quantitative principle, adding constant size irrespective of birth size, to ensure stability of size distributions.
Researchers at Simon Fraser University have identified the genetic pathway of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), a rare form of liver cancer that disproportionately affects people in Asian countries. The study's findings could lead to earlier diagnosis and increased survival rates for patients.
Scientists at Weizmann Institute and Cambridge University successfully created human primordial germ cells, the earliest precursors of sperm and ova, in a lab. The breakthrough method could help address fertility issues and potentially enable new reproductive technologies.
NASA's RapidScat instrument captured high winds in the Gulf of Mexico while Mississippi experienced tornadoes late on Dec. 23. An animation of NOAA's GOES-East satellite data showed the movement of severe weather systems from Canada to South America.
Researchers found that lung cancer cells sever protein ties, allowing them to break loose and spread. Targeting this process could stop lung cancer from spreading by keeping cells stuck together.
The Rialto experiment showed that evidence capture is just one output of body-worn video, and the technology is most effective at preventing escalation during police-public interactions. The 'preventative treatment' of body-worn-video relies on the combination of the camera plus cognition of surveillance, causing individuals to modify ...