Articles tagged with Animal Cells
Researchers studied a single-celled amoeba called Capsaspora owczarzaki and found it uses the same protein-regulating tools as multicellular animals to control cell differentiation over time. This suggests that the single-celled ancestor of all animals likely possessed these systems and was more complex than previously thought.
A 200-million-year-old reptile named Drepanosaurus has been found to have unusually shaped forelimb bones with a massive hooked claw. The discovery sheds light on the evolution of four-footed animals and challenges current understanding of tetrapod limb evolution.
Scientists have discovered a mechanism of intercellular communication that helps explain how biological systems function properly. The findings shed light on the poorly-understood interaction between cells and suggest that cancer cells' poor communication contributes to their biologic damage.
Researchers observed microsporidia fuse animal cells together to multiply and spread within hosts' uninfected cells. The process allows for rapid replication and invasion of the entire intestinal organ.
Scientists from the University of Chicago used gene-editing techniques to study the development of zebrafish fins and discovered that the same cells responsible for fin rays also form fingers and toes. The research challenges previous assumptions about the transformation from fins to limbs.
A University of Maryland research team has discovered a regulatory protein named ERI-1 that helps ensure all cells in a tissue remain identical to one another. The finding could bring biologists closer to understanding some cancers and other age-related diseases.
Researchers found that cockroaches exhibit head-direction-like activity and evidence of contextual cue processing in their brains. This suggests that insects rely on the same sensory inputs as humans and process them in a similar manner.
Researchers discovered that the protein Pentagone regulates a concentration gradient in the fruit fly wing, controlling vein formation. This mechanism may also be relevant to human development disorders, where it could influence finger formation.
Researchers discovered a single gene pathway vital for Zika and flaviviruses to spread infection between cells. Shutting down this gene renders flaviviruses unable to leave infected cells, curbing their spread. The study identifies SPCS1 as a potential drug target.
Researchers found that Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes are less able to transmit Zika virus, with fewer viral particles in their bodies and saliva. The approach is a sustainable control agent, piloted to combat Dengue virus transmission and potentially helping tackle the Zika epidemic.
A novel theory of animal evolution suggests that a biochemical oscillator named Life's Timekeeper controls cell maintenance and repair, determining cell longevity. This mechanism is believed to have driven the extension of cell longevity in animals, leading to the development of complex organisms.
A team of researchers at MIT found that spinning particles, even when separated by tens of times their size, will ultimately migrate toward each other due to long-range interactions. The phenomenon was observed in a liquid medium with inert particles and has potential applications in biological systems and synthetic materials.
Researchers reconstructed what wasps see during learning flights, revealing how they monitor changing views and rely on familiar sights. The study sheds light on the insects' remarkable navigation abilities, which may inspire new approaches to robotics and ecological neuroscience.
Researchers found that early nerve cell development creates brain circuit templates, which are then disrupted by trauma, leading to delayed effects on thoughts and memories.
The study discovered that cancer begins after activation of an oncogene or loss of a tumor suppressor, involving a change that takes a single cell back to a stem cell state. Targeting specific genes could stop cancer from ever starting.
Researchers found that the horizontal canals of the vestibular system play a key role in sensing direction, with impaired brain activity affecting navigation. The study sheds light on brain cell responses to location and directional heading, with implications for understanding neurodegenerative diseases.
Scientists at Karolinska Institutet have identified a cell type in the brain's frontal lobes that is integral to attention. Parvalbumin-expressing neurons were found to reflect animals' level of attention, with high activity associated with attentive states and low activity with inattentive states.
A study by Kyoto University found that fish oil activates receptors in the digestive tract, fires the sympathetic nervous system, and induces storage cells to metabolize fat. This may increase beige cells, which are less common in adults but play a crucial role in burning fat for energy.
A study on homing pigeons reveals that speed plays a crucial role in determining flock leadership. Faster birds lead and learn to navigate better routes, while slower birds follow and improve their skills over time. This simple yet effective mechanism explains the emergence of leadership in bird flocks.
A mathematical model developed by Brown University researchers sheds light on how zebrafish get their iconic stripes. The model simulates the movement of pigment cells and birth and death of cells to recreate the development of stripes as seen in experiments.
Researchers found a clear transition in catches at depths of 600 to 800 meters, with significant increases in biodiversity and discarded biomass. The study suggests that a depth limit at around 600 meters could have specific conservation benefits.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute developed a method to simultaneously localize bacteria and antibiotic production in environmental samples. Using mass-spectrometric imaging, they visualized the distribution of antibiotics piericidin A1 and B1 across the outer surface of beewolf cocoons.
A new approach uses cell cultures to predict chemical effects on fish growth, showing excellent agreement with in vivo experiments. The method combines cell population growth inhibition data with modeling of toxicological effects.
Researchers found that carnivorous pitcher plants rely on special structures to reflect bats' ultrasonic calls back to them, making it easier for bats to find their plant partners. The bats respond better to these sounds and choose the plants as the best places to roost.
Researchers at UC Davis discover that chromosome shattering, a process previously only seen in animal cells, occurs in plant embryos when combining centromeres with weakened structures. This finding opens up new possibilities for plant breeding and could aid cancer researchers using the model plant Arabidopsis.
Researchers at Rockefeller University discovered that fast-swimming bacteria can form two-dimensional crystals by clustering together in a lattice structure. The crystals are held together by the rotating motion of individual cells, which creates a unique pattern similar to atoms in mineral crystals.
Researchers used synchrotron phase contrast microtomography and transmission x-ray microscopy to map out oxygen distribution in fireflies' lanterns. The study found that oxygen is diverted from cellular functions to the reaction breaking down luciferin, slowing energy production and optimizing light emission.
A novel gene knock-in technique using PITCh enables accurate and efficient insertion of exogenous genes into human cells, silkworms, frogs, and other organisms. This method overcomes technical hurdles associated with homologous recombination in cultured cells and organisms.
Researchers at Harvard University have successfully reprogrammed adult cells into insulin-producing beta cells in mice, showing promise for treating both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. The study's long-term findings suggest that the newly created cells remain functional over a period of approximately half the animal's normal lifespan.
Scientists discovered that cells organize themselves to influence communication within a group. By forming huddles, cells trap and concentrate signals like FGF, enabling them to make decisions that affect organ formation and behavior. This strategy may play a role in wound repair and cancer.
A new study by the University of Virginia challenges two current theories on how simple bacterial cells became mitochondria, proposing that they were initially parasitic. The research uses next-generation DNA sequencing technologies to decode the genomes of 18 bacteria close relatives of mitochondria.
Fruit flies are attracted to the beer-like scent produced by brewer's yeast due to a specific gene called ATF1. This symbiotic relationship benefits both species: flies feed on yeasts and yeasts receive dispersal of their cells.
A new study from Northwestern Medicine reveals that surgical researchers rarely use female animals or cells in their published studies, despite evidence showing sex differences play a crucial role in medical research. The five major surgical journals will now require authors to state the sex of animals and cells used in their studies.
Researchers have discovered the origin and behavior of pigment cells that form zebrafish stripes. The yellow cells undergo dramatic changes in cell shape to tint the stripe pattern, while silvery and black cells switch shapes to create a striking contrast between golden and blue colors.
A recent study has identified key sets of co-expressed genes essential for animal cells, regardless of species. The researchers used RNA-seq data from multiple tissues and developmental conditions to create a map of highly important genome regions.
Researchers use a virus and zebrafish to map the living brain, revealing connections between cells and potential causes of conditions like autism and schizophrenia. The study's findings could lead to better understanding of neural circuits and related behaviors.
A self-organizing swarm of 1,024 robots creates complex shapes by following simple programmed rules, showcasing collective artificial intelligence. The Kilobots overcomes individual limitations through a smart algorithm, guaranteeing task completion and demonstrating the potential for large-scale robotics.
Researchers at Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Janelia Research Campus have created a computational method to rapidly track cell movements in data-rich images. This enables the automation of reconstructing an animal's developmental building plan cell by cell, with potential applications in understanding how the nervous system forms.
Researchers at UC San Diego have discovered a specialized system that enables the synthesis of ribosomal proteins, which are crucial for producing life-sustaining proteins. This finding has significant implications for understanding cell growth and development, and may lead to new treatments for diseases such as cancer.
Biologists at UC San Diego found the missing link to protein factory production, revealing a novel regulatory system that produces ribosomal proteins. This discovery provides new insights into controlling cell growth and potentially treating diseases like cancer.
Researchers have found the first three-dimensionally preserved pterosaur eggs in China, providing new insights into the flying reptiles' reproductive strategy, development, and social behavior. The discovery suggests that pterosaurs lived together in gregarious colonies, with males and females having distinct head crest features.
The NIH is introducing new policies to ensure that sex and gender are considered fundamental variables in all preclinical biomedical research funded by the agency. This move aims to address the significant gap in current research practices, which often neglect women's health and biological differences.
EPFL scientists have discovered a new relationship between cell shape and migration efficiency, explaining how cells move using a simple model of liquid droplets. The study found that spherical cells are faster movers, and this phenomenon is influenced by surface characteristics.
The University of Plymouth is developing a new technique using 'virtual fish' cells to study the toxicity and concentration of man-made chemicals. This method has the potential to significantly reduce the number of live animals required for scientific research, with promising results already shown in previous studies.
Researchers from NOAA Fisheries and Stanford University found that some petroleum compounds disrupt normal cardiac function in young tuna by blocking ion channels. This discovery provides new insights into the impact of oil pollution on fish hearts, with potential applications for assessing environmental damage.
A new study has developed a scaffold of carbon nanotubes that allows for the safe growth of human stem cells in the laboratory. This breakthrough technology could pave the way for revolutionary treatments for diseases such as Parkinson's, diabetes, and heart disease.
Researchers at University of Oregon gain insight into bone regeneration in zebra fish, finding two molecular pathways that work together to replace lost bones. Understanding these mechanisms could support the design of regenerative therapies for humans.
Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison have discovered a hormone and receptor that control cell expansion in plants. This finding reveals the molecular mechanisms behind plant growth, which is crucial for developing new technologies to manipulate crops for food, fuel, fiber, and medicines.
Researchers at UCSF have discovered that animal cells use cytonemes to transmit signals over long distances through physical contact. This challenges the standard understanding of cell communication and highlights a new mechanism for signal transfer in tissues.
Researchers discovered a modified pacemaker-like enzyme, GSK-3 beta, that mimics CRT's biological effects on heart muscle cells. This breakthrough could lead to new treatments for heart failure patients who don't qualify for traditional CRT therapy.
In a plant cell model system, the katanin enzyme carefully cuts misaligned microtubules at crossovers to form parallel bands. This activity organizes and maintains the cytoskeleton's pattern, essential for its functions in shape and molecular transport.
Scientists at EMBL found that cells in a zebrafish embryo determine their direction by erasing the path behind them and creating a self-generated chemokine gradient. This finding could have implications for development, cancer, and metastasis.
Researchers have created a new map of bird brains based on a decade-long exploration of gene expression across eight species. The findings suggest that bird brains have commonalities with human brains, including columnar organization and forebrain regions similar to mammals.
Researchers developed a highly accurate method to detect ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer using immunocytochemistry. The study found that this method had high sensitivity and specificity, making it suitable for prescreening NSCLC patients.
Researchers developed a new screening technique that allows for highly efficient glycoprotein production in bacteria, increasing yields seven times compared to laboratory tests. This breakthrough could lead to more affordable and effective protein-based drugs for diseases like diabetes, cancer, and arthritis.
Researchers found individuals with autism spectrum disorders have significantly decreased metabolism of amino acid L-tryptophan, leading to potential early blood screening tests. The study also identified genes involved in L-tryptophan metabolism, paving the way for therapeutic options.
Researchers at UBC estimate China's foreign catch is 4.6 million tonnes per year, taken from the waters of at least 90 countries, including 3.1 million tonnes from African waters.
Researchers at IUPUI have successfully differentiated human induced pluripotent stem cells into retinal cells using chemical methods, eliminating the need for animal products. This breakthrough could lead to new treatments for retinal diseases and expand the clinical use of regenerative human cells.
Scientists from University College London have found that animal cells exhibit poroelastic behavior when mechanically stimulated, similar to organs within the body. The rate of cell deformation is limited by how quickly water can redistribute within the cell interior.
Researchers discovered pygmy mole crickets use oar-like paddles to jump from water, exploiting water's stickiness to their advantage. The crickets' resilient protein-filled paddles fan out as they penetrate the water, allowing them to 'grab' a ball of water and propel themselves to safety.