Articles tagged with Cell Membranes
Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have discovered a mechanism for cell flattening, a crucial step in processes like clot formation and cancer spread. The study found that a G protein interacts with integrins to inhibit RhoA, allowing cells to flatten and move.
Researchers at MIT have found that chemical energy from ATP controls the shape of red blood cell membranes and determines their membrane vibrations. The study, published in PNAS, provides conclusive evidence that these vibrations require ATP input to occur.
Researchers at Washington University have discovered a channel protein that shields and transports the crucial heme molecule across cell membranes. The channel, found in plants and bacteria, helps protect heme from oxidative damage as it makes its journey outside the cell.
Keller's groundbreaking studies on membrane lipids have revealed how lipid composition affects cell membrane physical parameters and protein activity. Her work has opened a new area of study, with colleagues praising her thorough analyses and phase diagrams as the gold standard in membrane research.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University discovered a fibrous structure that holds the nucleus in place, which could provide clues to diseases such as cancer, muscular dystrophy, and progeria. The perinuclear actin cap is a domed structure of bundled filaments that sits above the nucleus, controlling its shape and potentially affecting ...
Stiffer and stickier red blood cells cause anemia and joint pain in malaria patients. Researchers developed models to predict the disease's progression by analyzing temperature fluctuations and cell stiffness.
A team of researchers has discovered the process by which new HIV virus particles are assembled at the membrane of infected cells and released to attack healthy cells nearby. The study, published in PLoS Pathogens, provides important insights into a crucial step in person-to-person transmission.
Researchers created simplified synthetic cells that shed light on electric voltage generation in real cells and can act as tiny batteries. The cells harness a modified protein to create pores allowing ions to flow, generating a stable voltage across the bilayer.
Researchers controlled cell orientation on a micropatterned surface based on a delicate material technique. The study used photolithography to generate a surface with cell-adhesive stripes in an adhesion-resistant background, allowing for semi-quantitative description of cell orientation.
Two studies suggest the nuclear envelope's permeability barrier reopens briefly after mitosis, allowing large proteins to enter the nucleus by passive diffusion. This dynamic process has important implications for cellular compartmentalization and genetic material regulation.
Researchers aim to understand impact of physical forces on vascular disease and neuro-degenerative disorders by stretching cells on an elastic membrane, simulating natural forces.
Researchers discovered a previously unknown mechanism that aids in the spread of Listeria monocytogenes, a deadly bacterium causing listeriosis and severe illnesses.
Researchers found that a disruption in the spectrin-actin network leads to irregularities in lens cell packing and shape. The study suggests that mechanical stresses during lens growth and eye movements cause this disorganization.
Scientists have developed a technique to understand how cell signals pass from the membrane into the cell, triggering complex biological processes. This breakthrough will help create better drugs and faster delivery times, providing new insights into human biology.
A single cell in a nematode worm is providing clues into cancer's ability to invade new tissues. Researchers found that integrin and netrin molecules may be a valuable target in halting cancer's spread via metastasis.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory researchers have devised a versatile hybrid platform that uses lipid-coated nanowires to build prototype bionanoelectronic devices. The platform enhances biosensing and diagnostic tools, advances neural prosthetics such as cochlear implants, and could increase the efficiency of future computers.
Yale scientists have discovered a crucial protein that regulates cell size by controlling the exit of potassium and chloride ions. This finding has significant implications for understanding diseases such as sickle cell anemia and neurological disorders, where cell size imbalances can lead to damage.
Researchers at Carnegie Institution's Department of Plant Biology have cloned genes for membrane proteins that regulate nutrient and water fluxes in cells. The donated clones will help unravel the interaction of these proteins across species, with potential applications in understanding kidney diseases and engineering better crops.
Researchers at the University of Oregon have discovered a new class of self-assembling materials that can control colloidal interactions by applying biological molecules from cell membranes. The findings suggest that specially tweaked biological membranes can serve as control knobs to direct materials to specific actions.
Researchers discovered that flexibility in DC-SIGN's neck region allows it to recognize a broader range of pathogens, including Ebola, Dengue fever, and HIV. This flexibility enables the protein to adapt to different target surfaces, maximizing bond strength.
A research team at Goethe University Frankfurt has identified two proteins, Fcj1 and Su e/g, that regulate the shape of mitochondria's inner membrane. The protein Fcj1 promotes negative curvature, while the Su e/g protein induces positive bending, leading to the formation of cristae junctions.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine have discovered that the AMPA receptor protein moves to its destination with the help of the 4.1N protein, forming long-term memories. The study found that 4.1N is required to maintain strong connections between neurons, making memories stick.
Researchers at McGill University have pinpointed the key cellular machinery co-opted by HIV-1, allowing it to efficiently transport its RNA genome to the plasma membrane. This discovery opens up hopes for devising strategies to block the process and could lead to treatments to combat the virus.
Researchers have for the first time visualized the three-dimensional structure of a crucial subcomplex of the nuclear pore complex (NPC), a fundamental innovation in multicellular life. The findings support a common architecture between NPCs and coated vesicles, revealing an ancient evolutionary connection.
A new study advances our understanding of connexin hemichannel closure by elucidating the loop gating mechanism. The research also sheds light on the conformational changes occurring within the loop gate, providing a clearer picture of how these channels are kept closed.
Researchers found that bees prefer conical-celled petals with a rough surface, allowing for better grip and easier nectar extraction. This adaptation enables bees to efficiently collect nectar from flowers in windy or wet conditions.
Researchers are working on a novel flu vaccine that uses cell culture-based technology to produce immune-boosting signals on the surface of the virus. The goal is to provide better protection against viral pneumonia, especially in elderly populations.
Researchers developed a mathematical model predicting optimal time for loading and unloading cryoprotectants, which reduces egg size shifts and improves fertilization chances. Using sugars like trehalose, these staged drugs can help preserve eggs at subzero temperatures, enabling easier transportation and potential transplantation.
Scientists create nanoneedle to deliver molecules into cell cytoplasm and nucleus with precision, enabling single-molecule studies and molecular manipulation. The delivery method combines molecular targeting strategies using quantum dots and magnetic nanoparticles.
Researchers from Durham University have successfully mapped the high-resolution structure of the matrix protein, a critical component of enveloped viruses like RSV. This breakthrough could lead to the development of new biochemical tools to treat respiratory ailments and other viral infections.
Researchers at EMBL discovered Vtc4p as the protein responsible for producing polyphosphate chains in yeast, a process crucial for energy storage and other cellular functions. This finding has significant implications for agriculture, including improved crop production and fertilizer development.
A new study by University of Utah researchers reveals that tiny hair-like tubes atop hair cells in the ear act as flexoelectric motors to amplify sound mechanically. This discovery sheds light on how humans can hear very quiet sounds, and may also have implications for our sense of balance.
Researchers at IDIBAPS and University of Barcelona discover a new breakdown pathway for the KRas protein, which is actively transported from cell membrane to lysosomes. This finding could lead to new therapeutic strategies against cancer and diseases involving abnormal lysosome formation.
A single protein called SopB allows Salmonella to invade cells and hijack cellular functions, enabling it to avoid destruction. The study reveals how SopB coaxes cells to mark the protein with ubiquitin, making it recognizable to cellular machinery.
A team of researchers at the University of Michigan and the University of California, San Diego, have resolved a long-standing debate about how Alzheimer's disease kills brain cells. They found that amyloid-beta peptides form pores in brain cell membranes, allowing calcium ions to enter and trigger cell death.
Researchers created a surface material that can confine and control the growth of bacteria and mammalian cells, revealing differences in their attachment mechanisms. This breakthrough technology has the potential to lead to improved medical implants and new methods for preventing biofouling.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University developed a lab-on-a-chip device that can study cell detachment, a critical step in cancer metastasis. The device helps understand the molecular mechanisms behind cancer cells' ability to break free from tissue, which could lead to better therapies.
Researchers have discovered how Shewanella bacteria 'breathe' toxic metals, converting them into non-toxic forms. This process could potentially clean up contaminated nuclear waste sites by utilizing the bacteria's ability to extract energy from metal oxides.
Researchers led by Prof. Boris Rubinsky developed a technique using irreversible electroporation (IRE) to destroy cells responsible for restenosis in arteries. IRE successfully destroyed almost all cells in less than 23 seconds with no damage to other structures.
Researchers found a link between CaM kinase II inhibition and reduced inflammatory gene expression in heart muscle cells. Inhibition of CaM kinase II protected mice from heart damage, highlighting a potential new treatment target.
Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory demonstrate a novel approach to assemble cells into three-dimensional, multicellular microtissues. By controlling cellular connections, they can create tissues with sophisticated properties, such as the stem-cell niche.
Studies reveal that PICK1 protein plays a crucial role in acrosome formation, and its deficiency leads to low sperm count and abnormal sperm movement in male mice. This discovery may shed new light on the human disorder of globozoospermia, which affects male fertility.
Researchers at Ohio State University have discovered a way to modify bacterial sugar molecules, which could be used to create potent vaccines. This technique allows for the easy production of vaccine components through simple fermentation.
Researchers discovered that capsaicin, found in chili peppers, triggers a desensitization process in pain receptors, allowing them to adapt to painful stimuli. This adaptive response enables the receptor to continuously respond to varying stimuli, leading to a shift in responsiveness threshold.
A team of researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute has identified a new component of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathway, which is essential for proper wing development in fruit flies. The discovery of Kekkon5 reveals its role as an extracellular regulator of BMP signaling.
Researchers discovered protein Bud14 inhibits formin interactions, regulating actin filament length. This discovery advances understanding of cell division and development, with implications for human health conditions such as infertility and deafness.
Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) can be slowed down with a balanced diet high in micronutrients, vitamins and antioxidants. Increasing fruit and vegetable intake could add up to 20% extra time for AMD sufferers before degeneration sets in.
Scientists develop a simple model for complex cell structure by creating artificial cells with molecular crowding and heterogeneity. The system mimics the behavior of proteins and nucleic acids in living cells, allowing researchers to study the effects of macromolecular crowding on chemical reactions.
Researchers have discovered phytoplankton in the Sargasso Sea that build cell membranes without phospholipids, using substitute lipids instead. This finding has significant implications for our understanding of cell biochemistry and could lead to rewriting fundamental principles.
Researchers developed intelligent materials that stimulate cell growth and development, eliminating pharmaceutical side-effects. The technology has the potential to revolutionize orthopedic, dental, and cardiovascular prostheses.
Researchers found that ankyrin-B protein plays a vital role in stabilizing microtubules and anchoring dystrophin to the muscle membrane, preventing cellular damage and death. The study provides new insights into the underlying mechanisms of muscular dystrophy.
Researchers at MIT have created a highly efficient method for pairing and fusing cells, which should facilitate the study of genetic reprogramming in hybrids. This innovation, led by Joel Voldman and Rudolf Jaenisch, improves upon existing cell fusion techniques by increasing the success rate to around 50%.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have discovered a potential new approach to cancer therapy by manipulating the tail of a tumor suppressor protein. By removing its tail, the protein becomes active and can effectively suppress cancer growth.
A Cornell University researcher has developed a tiny, implantable device that captures and kills up to 30% of tumor cells in the bloodstream before they spread. The 'lint brush' uses naturally occurring proteins to attract and kill cancer cells without harming healthy cells.
Researchers at Penn School of Medicine found that cells reorganize their internal skeleton to adjust their shape in response to external forces. This discovery validates a common theory in cell biology and has implications for understanding certain diseases, including cancer.
Parkin protein prompts neuronal survival by clearing damaged mitochondria. Researchers found that Parkin translocates to mitochondria upon damage, sending them to autophagosomes for degradation. This process prevents damaged mitochondria from triggering cell death.
Researchers at NC State University have discovered a new material that can create interfaces between human tissues and medical devices, resolving issues with protein buildup and inflammation. This breakthrough could lead to advancements in kidney dialysis membranes and other implantable devices.
Researchers describe how cells recycle protein waste to prevent diseases such as Alzheimer's, cystic fibrosis, and developmental disorders. Cells use enzymes and specialized complexes, known as ESCRTs, to break down and dispose of damaged proteins.
Researchers have developed polymer patches that can ferry drugs, assist in cancer diagnosis and help with tissue engineering. The polymer backpacks allow researchers to use cells as vectors to carry materials to tumors or other tissue sites.
Researchers have found a way to restore key surface proteins in adult stem cells, enhancing their movement and therapeutic potential. The simple chemical procedure uses a molecule called SLeX to get the cells off the 'couch' and over to their therapeutic target.