Articles tagged with Cell Membranes
Aquaporins regulate water flux in various tissues, including the kidney, eye lens, and brain. Recent computer simulations revealed a 'dance' of water molecules through aquaporin channels, controlled by protein parts that increase permeation rates while blocking proton passage.
Researchers find HIV attachment to rafts is crucial for replication, and cholesterol-lowering drugs may help disrupt this process. Depleting cholesterol from rafts using compounds significantly reduces HIV's ability to infect new cells.
Dartmouth Medical School biochemists identify a transport receptor that selects soluble proteins for export from cells, resolving a long-standing puzzle. The discovery opens up new avenues for understanding protein secretion and its role in diseases such as hemophilia.
Researchers found that water molecules can move through tiny carbon nanotubes in short bursts, with changes in interaction causing the tube to empty or fill. This dynamic behavior has implications for understanding how water is conducted in biological channels and may contribute to developing new sensors.
Researchers successfully imaged single molecules of cAMP binding to receptors on the surface of living amoebae, providing new insights into chemotaxis and cell movement. The study's real-time video reveals how receptors behave when detecting cAMP gradients, allowing cells to respond faster to changes in their environment.
A secreted mitochondrial peptide regulates vascular tone by acting on the endothelial nitric oxide synthase, leading to increased NO production and vasodilation. This peptide also modulates the activity of other key enzymes involved in vascular relaxation.
Researchers at Scripps Research Institute have solved the first high-resolution structure of a membrane transporter, which can help design new drugs against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and certain cancer cells. The breakthrough could lead to increased efficacy of chemotherapy agents.
Virginia Tech researchers have developed new proton exchange membrane (PEM) polymer nanocomposites that can withstand higher temperatures, making them suitable for more efficient fuel cells. The new materials use hetropolyacids to retain water molecules at higher temperatures, providing a mechanism for conductivity.
Virginia Tech researchers are developing methodology to relate membrane performance to intrinsic polymer properties of microphase separation, water absorption, and proton conductivity. The goal is to produce PEMS that perform well in a wide range of fuel cell environments.
Researchers found that a fish oil-rich diet protects against colon cancer, while a corn oil-diet appears to promote it. The scientists also discovered how cancer spreads among cells in the colon, with a new understanding of cell damage varying from bottom to top within crypts.
Researchers at Virginia Tech have demonstrated improved fuel cell materials and systems, enabling operation at higher temperatures. The team will receive $2 million in grants to develop next-generation polymer electrolyte membranes and membrane electrode assemblies.
Researchers found GLUT4 inserted into plasma membranes at regions of membrane ruffling. High insulin and glucose levels impede this process, suggesting a novel explanation for muscle glucose homeostasis loss in diabetes. This study provides insight into the role of membrane-cytoskeletal interactions in regulating glucose uptake.
Researchers have created filtration membranes with hydrophilic outer surfaces to resist fouling, increasing the amount of solution that can be passed through. The membranes also exhibit self-healing properties.
The researchers discovered a glycerol-conducting channel that selectively filters simple carbohydrates while blocking access to smaller water molecules and ions. This finding sheds light on how protein channels embedded in cell membranes work.
Neurobiologists identified an alcohol-sensitive potassium channel that enhances neurotransmitter action, producing profound physiological effects in the central nervous system. The discovery has significant implications for understanding alcohol addiction and may influence neuron communication.
Researchers create device that harnesses thermal fluctuations to separate membrane-associated molecules, providing a novel approach for studying cellular processes. The invention builds upon previous work on Brownian ratchets and utilizes microfabrication techniques to manufacture the device at an affordable cost.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center discovered novel regulatory mechanisms that move serotonin transporters on and off the cell surface. This finding opens possibilities for developing new antidepressant drugs with novel actions.
Researchers used mathematical analysis to determine how potassium ions move through cell membranes. They found that a pool of approximately 50 water molecules and four protein spirals create an environment similar to the inside or outside of the cell, allowing for quick potassium flow.
Clathrin-coated vesicles are responsible for transporting proteins from the outside of the cell inside. The new insights into their formation help build a picture of the overall process and suggest possible targets for future therapeutic intervention.
Researchers at Berkeley Lab create cells with engineered surface properties using unnatural sugars, enabling control over cell adhesion to synthetic materials. This technology has potential applications in biocompatible materials, artificial organs, and cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Researchers have made a breakthrough in understanding how nutrients and vitamins enter living cells, finding that membrane proteins act like gates to regulate entry and acquire essential molecules. The study reveals dynamic entities capable of sensing their environment and actively acquiring substances needed for cell growth.
Researchers visualize calcium stored deep within intact muscle and brain cells, discovering tiny, discrete compartments that can be opened or closed by drugs or natural chemicals. This finding could lead to a better understanding of physiological mechanisms underlying high blood pressure, heart failure, stroke, and aging.
The study, published in the EMBO Journal, shows that viral tails play a crucial role in controlling the shape and formation of new viral particles. The research demonstrates the importance of these protein parts in the development of the virus.
Scientists have identified a human protein that allows herpes simplex virus to penetrate into lymphocytes, a key step in understanding recurrent herpetic disease. This breakthrough discovery may lead to the development of new classes of antiviral drugs.