Cellular Physiology
Articles tagged with Cellular Physiology
Children with rare, debilitating brain diseases suffer from mutations in a little-known protein complex
Researchers have mapped the structure and mechanics of a critical cellular machine that malfunctions in people with rare genetic disorders. The discovery could lead to new treatments and faster diagnoses for children with conditions like infantile encephalopathy, corpus callosum hypoplasia, and Kenny-Caffey syndrome.
Blocking TGF-β signaling may strengthen efficacy of osteoporosis therapy
Measuring squishiness and stiffness of cells just got faster, easier and more reliable
Researchers created a microfluidic device to measure cell size and stiffness, enabling the analysis of large numbers of cells quickly. The new method uses time-of-flight measurements to determine cell stiffness, with potential applications in disease diagnosis and prognosis.
Beyond cell death: The hidden drivers of stem cell aging
A recent study reveals that MLKL activation causes direct damage to mitochondria, impairing energy production and leading to functional decline in hematopoietic stem cells. In contrast, deletion or inhibition of MLKL significantly alleviates these defects, suggesting a post-transcriptional mechanism driving HSC aging.
Proteins cluster in cells for faster performance
Researchers at the University of Groningen discovered that protein clustering in cells leads to reduced movement and improved efficiency in amino acid production. This finding has practical implications for designing efficient cell factories and increasing substance production inside cells.
Base-resolution DNA methylation map of MDS stem cells reveals new disease mechanism
Researchers generated a comprehensive view of DNA methylation abnormalities in human MDS HSCs, uncovering a novel TET2-GFI1 axis that suppresses malignant transformation. The study identifies key hematopoietic regulators and provides a panoramic view of DNA methylation disruption in MDS.
Alzheimer’s-linked protein tau play a role in cell division
A new study by POSTECH researchers found that the protein tau interacts with DNA during cell division, forming condensates that capture microtubules. This interaction affects chromosome alignment and can lead to cellular abnormalities even in healthy cells.
How does mitochondrial DNA affect your health?
Salk Institute researchers have developed a new biological platform for studying mitochondrial DNA in human physiology, adaptation, and therapeutic development. The platform allows scientists to investigate mitochondrial DNA variation in health and disease, enabling therapeutic innovation for mitochondrial disorders.
Characteristics of CD4+T-cell reduction and pulmonary infections in critically ill immunocompromised patients
A retrospective study of 40 immunocompromised ICU patients found associations between low CD4+T-cell counts and specific lung pathogens. Patients with severe CD4 depletion had higher proportions of fungal infections, while moderate immunosuppression was linked to Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Flexible assembly: alternative pathways in proteasome biogenesis deciphered
A new study has deciphered the step-by-step assembly of eukaryotic proteasomes, revealing two alternative pathways and a flexible biogenesis process. The findings have far-reaching implications for understanding cellular protein quality control, ageing, and diseases like cancer and neurodegenerative disorders.
Stanford researchers develop novel "scaffold-free" approach for treating damaged muscles
Stanford researchers have developed a novel 'scaffold-free' approach for treating damaged muscles, enabling the delivery of more healing cells to the traumatized area. The approach uses a custom molding technology to create dense muscle tissue in customizable geometric shapes and sizes, allowing for more effective muscle regeneration.
Plants pause, play and fast forward growth depending on types of climate stress
Researchers at the University of British Columbia have identified genes and pathways responsible for plant recovery from environmental stress, including cold snaps and flooding. This discovery could lead to the creation of climate-resilient crops that can recover faster and more efficiently after climate events.
Road salt creates more harm to freshwater life than expected, study finds
Research by University of Missouri scientists found that road salt is deadly to freshwater snails when paired with the presence of predators, causing nearly 60% higher mortality rates. The study suggests practical solutions to reduce salt pollution in waterways, such as cutting road salt use by up to 50%.
Capturing the moment of organelle handoff inside living cells
For the first time, researchers have directly visualized how newly formed cellular organelles leave the endoplasmic reticulum and transition onto microtubule tracks inside living cells. The study reveals that the ER plays an active role in steering intracellular traffic.
Pulling the plug on tumors: Varun Venkataramani receives Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Early Career Award 2026
Cancer cells tap into the nervous system's power grid by forming synaptic contacts with nerve cells, promoting tumor growth and spread. Venkataramani's research aims to repurpose the drug perampanel for glioblastoma treatment and develop gene therapy approaches to disconnect tumors from the nervous system.
A protein tape-recorder enables scientists to measure and decode cellular processes at scale and over time
Researchers developed a novel tool, CytoTape, to record temporal cell activities in situ along a flexible intracellular protein fiber. This technology enables scientists to view interactions on a large scale and over long periods of time, breaking through the tradeoff between resolution and scale.
Innovations in spatial imaging could unlock higher wheat yields
Researchers at John Innes Centre and Earlham Institute developed a powerful single-cell visualisation technique to understand wheat spike development. The study reveals distinct expression patterns across spikes, shedding light on why basal spikelets fail to achieve full size.
The “broker” family helps tidy up the cell
A research team at Goethe University Frankfurt has compiled a catalog of human E3 ligases and mapped their relationships, revealing family-specific functions. The study identifies 40 additional E3 ligases suitable for PROTAC development, expanding the range of tissues and diseases targeted by degradation therapies.
Long-term pesticide exposure accelerates aging and shortens lifespan in fish
Research led by University of Notre Dame biologist Jason Rohr found that chronic exposure to the insecticide chlorpyrifos causes fish to age faster at the cellular level, leading to accelerated aging and reduced lifespan. The study suggests that low-level exposures can silently accumulate damage over time.
Cells reveal “survival of the fittest” through ribosome competition
Researchers in Japan discovered that cells eliminate less efficient ribosomes through a 'survival of the fittest' mechanism, ensuring accurate and efficient protein synthesis. This discovery sheds light on how cells maintain quality control and prevents ribosome-related diseases.
How cells balance their protein levels
Scientists have discovered how cells maintain safe protein levels despite fluctuations in resources, using a mechanism called Passive Adaptation that adjusts protein removal rates. This process helps cells cope with changes in nutrient availability, development, or stress.
New PET imaging breakthrough expands possibilities
Researchers at Virginia Tech have developed a new method for attaching fluorine-18 to trifluoromethyl groups, enabling the tagging of previously inaccessible targets in PET scans. This breakthrough expands the range of molecules that can be imaged, potentially leading to earlier diagnoses and more targeted treatments for diseases.
University of Houston researchers identify new target to counteract muscle wasting in pancreatic cancer
Researchers at the University of Houston have discovered a potential therapeutic strategy for counteracting muscle wasting in pancreatic cancer by blocking a specific cell pathway. Muscle wasting, also known as cachexia, is a debilitating syndrome affecting 60-85% of patients with pancreatic cancer.
Sperm tails and male infertility: Critical protein revealed by ultrastructure microscope
Researchers have discovered a key protein structure in the germ cells of male mice that causes deformations in sperm flagellum leading to infertility. The study used ultrastructure expansion microscopy to visualize the centriole, a tiny cylindrical structure critical for sperm movement.
Study links America’s favorite cooking oil to obesity
A study conducted at the University of California, Riverside, has uncovered a link between soybean oil consumption and obesity in mice. The research found that a genetically engineered group of mice on a high-fat diet rich in soybean oil did not gain weight, suggesting that the liver protein HNF4α plays a crucial role in fat metabolism.
Muscle protein linked to exercise opens new way to treat Alzheimer’s
Researchers at Florida Atlantic University have discovered a potential new treatment for Alzheimer's disease by targeting muscle protein Cathepsin B. The study found that increasing Ctsb in muscle tissue may offer protection against the effects of AD and promote brain cell growth, restoring protein balance and rebalancing brain activity.
Uncovering how cells build tissues and organs
Engineers from the University of Rochester's Department of Biomedical Engineering are studying how cells interact mechanically with the extracellular matrix to build tissues and organs. The study aims to shed light on developmental diseases, such as cancer and failed wound healing, which involve distorted principles during development.
Discovery of plant reproductive success provides insights into human fertility
Scientists have discovered a protein called SCEP3 that ensures even chromosome segregation in plants, preventing infertility and genetic diseases. This finding has implications for plant breeding and understanding human fertility, with the equivalent gene SIX6OS1 potentially playing a role in promoting correct chromosome segregation.
Opening the door to affordable lab-grown beef, cow cells defy aging
Researchers at Hebrew University of Jerusalem unlock natural pathway to immortalize cow cells, overcoming major barrier to affordable cultivated beef. The study reveals bovine cells can spontaneously renew themselves indefinitely without genetic modification.
How are metabolism and cell growth connected? — A mystery over 180 years old
Researchers have identified a novel principle in biology that mathematically explains why the growth of organisms slows as nutrients become more abundant. The global constraint principle unifies two classic biological laws and provides a fresh perspective for looking at growth across all forms of life.
Can therapies against cellular aging help treat metabolic diseases?
Researchers explore the link between senescent cells and metabolic diseases, highlighting potential treatments known as senotherapeutics. Senolytics, senomorphics, and senosensitizers are interventions aimed at eliminating or suppressing senescent cells to mitigate metabolic disease.
Researchers identify a new rare genetic disease
Scientists have identified a previously unknown genetic disease, MINA syndrome, which damages motor neurons and affects movement and muscle control. The disease is caused by a rare genetic mutation in the NAMPT protein, leading to symptoms such as muscle weakness, loss of coordination, and foot deformities.
Chinese Medical Journal review highlights ZBP1’s role in programmed cell death and therapeutic potential
Researchers explore ZBP1-mediated programmed cell death, its mechanisms, and therapeutic strategies for systemic diseases. The review also discusses ZBP1's involvement in various types of cell death, including apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis.
Overactive Runx1 gene triggers early disc degeneration linked to aging
Researchers found that overactive Runx1 gene accelerates age-related degeneration of intervertebral discs, causing premature cellular aging and unhealthy tissue changes. Targeting Runx1 may be a promising strategy to prevent or slow disc aging.
A hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy of space immunology
A comprehensive guide describes the effects of spaceflight on the immune system, including microgravity, cosmic radiation, and sleep disruptions. The study provides integrated mechanistic insights into how these stressors alter immune physiology, with potential relevance in aging research.
’Footprint of Death’ gives new clues to cell life, spread of disease
Researchers uncover new understanding of cell death and renewal by discovering a previously unknown type of Extracellular Vesicle (EV) that marks the site of a dead cell. This 'footprint of death' helps the immune system identify and clean up cell fragments, but viruses can hijack this process to spread infection.
“Security check” inside the cell: Self-cleavage as built-in quality control
Adhesion G protein-coupled receptors (aGPCRs) use a self-cleavage process to monitor their function. This process relies on multiple domain-extrinsic factors, ensuring efficient receptor activation and preventing faulty proteins from reaching the cell surface. The discovery provides new insights into how cells maintain quality control.
Tiny sugars in the brain disrupt emotional circuits, fueling depression
Researchers identify abnormal sugar modifications linked to depressive behaviors, offering potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets. Chronic stress disrupts sugar chains in the prefrontal cortex, triggering depression.
New mechanisms for bacterial motility and DNA transfer between bacteria decoded
Scientists have discovered a new family of signaling proteins that regulate bacterial motility and DNA uptake mechanisms. These findings suggest a possible link between these processes and bacterial pathogenicity, colonizing hosts, biofilm formation, and antibiotic resistance.
Could boosting this molecule slow pancreatic cancer progression?
Researchers at Salk Institute and UC San Diego have identified a unique sugar called HSAT as a potential therapeutic target for slowing tumor progression and metastasis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Boosting HSAT levels may slow the formation and spread of pancreatic cancer, leading to improved survival rates among patients.
Working together, cells extend their senses
Researchers discovered that a collective of epithelial cells can work together to sense beyond their direct environment, up to 100 microns away. This new ability allows cancer cells to migrate and evade detection with enhanced precision, making it a potential target for therapy.
Worms reveal just how cramped cells really are
Researchers tracked the movement of fluorescent particles inside the cells of microscopic worms, providing unprecedented insights into cellular crowding. The study found that the cytoplasm inside the worms was significantly more crowded and compartmentalized than in single-celled yeast or mammalian tissue culture cells.
Extreme life inside the Arctic ice
Researchers discovered that Arctic diatoms can move and glide through ice at temperatures as low as -15 C, using a unique mucilage rope mechanism. This finding has significant implications for our understanding of adaptation to a changing polar environment and potential roles in the food chain.
Uncovering what makes cells picky (self)eaters: uOttawa team maps pathways that determine cellular recycling outputs
A team of researchers from the University of Ottawa has developed a new workflow to study autophagy, a fundamental cellular mechanism that preserves cell health by recycling and degrading worn-out components. The study reveals novel signaling mechanisms regulating autophagy in response to numerous disease-related stress conditions.
New study links exosomes to biological aging
Researchers found that exosomes from senescent cells and circulatory exosomes carry molecular signatures associated with biological aging and cellular senescence. These signatures include proteins, lipids, and microRNAs linked to inflammation, oxidative stress, and tissue remodeling.
Cells use a synchronized 'traffic control system' to determine nutrient availability and energy balance
Human cells use a synchronized traffic control system to monitor nutrient levels and precisely control cellular energy balance, blood sugar levels, and energy management. This finding offers promising new targets for treating diabetes and cancer.
How cells build complex structures as a team
Researchers visualize extracellular matrix in living organism and discover principles of self-organization, indicating large fluctuations in protein production between individual cells. The structure forms rounded or polygonal boundaries that dynamically evolve as the organism grows, making it resemble a foam.
Aging (Aging-US) supports landmark senescence and aging research events in Rome
The Aging (Aging-US) meeting will bring together researchers and clinicians to explore the latest advances in cellular senescence and its translation into therapies for age-related diseases. The event will provide a unique platform for discussing both basic research and its clinical applications.
Nuclear speckle rejuvenation “next frontier” for treating neurodegeneration
Researchers have discovered a new approach for treating proteinopathies by targeting dysregulated nuclear speckles, which can lead to neuron degeneration. Pyrvinium pamoate has been shown to improve proteostasis in various disease models, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and tauopathies.
First “teaching textbook” on autophagy now available
A major new textbook on autophagy is now available, encapsulating over 30 years of research in this growing field. The book, titled Autophagy – From Molecular Mechanisms to Flux Control in Health and Disease, aims to make the learning process easier for students and scientists alike.
Finding microproteins to treat obesity and metabolic disorders
Researchers at the Salk Institute have identified dozens of microproteins that play a crucial role in regulating fat cell proliferation and lipid accumulation. This breakthrough discovery offers new potential drug targets for treating obesity and metabolic disorders, building on recent advances in CRISPR gene editing technologies.
New mRNA-based therapy that shows promise in heart regeneration after heart attack
Researchers identified a new strategy to repair damaged heart tissue by reactivating the PSAT1 gene through synthetic modified messenger RNA. The study found that mice treated with PSAT1-modRNA showed robust increases in cardiomyocyte proliferation, reduced tissue scarring, and improved heart function.
Assessing blood stem cell quality by analyzing cell behavior in real time
A study from The University of Tokyo predicts HSC quality based on real-time cellular behavior using advanced imaging technology and machine learning. The researchers discovered previously hidden diversity within HSC populations and found that kinetic features could predict the expression levels of a key gene related to 'stemness'.
Gene essential for vitamin D absorption could help unlock treatments for cancer and autoimmune diseases
Researchers have identified a key gene crucial for vitamin D uptake and metabolism, offering new avenues for precision medicine in cancer therapy and potential benefits for autoimmune diseases. Inhibiting this gene may selectively kill cancer cells while leaving healthy tissues unharmed.
Scientists discover a simple set of rules that may explain how our tissues stay organized
Researchers at ChristianaCare and the University of Delaware have identified five core biological rules that govern the structure and behavior of cells, potentially explaining how tissues stay organized. This discovery has significant implications for understanding tissue repair, birth defects, and cancer development.
New “bone-digesting” cell type discovered in pythons
A new cell type has been identified in Burmese pythons that produces large particles made from calcium, phosphorus, and iron to digest bones. This specialized cell type helps limit excessive calcium absorption and is found in multiple python and boa species as well as the Gila monster.
A Journal of Environmental Sciences study reveals that metal-organic frameworks may be toxic
A study reveals that metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) can be toxic to mice, causing disruptions in blood cell formation and immune balance. The researchers found that the MOFs suppressed production of certain cells but also triggered a rebound effect, leading to increased inflammation.
Study shows tissues’ pliability depends on watery fluid between cells
Researchers found that intercellular flow plays a major role in tissue response to deformation, affecting organs' adaptability to conditions like aging and cancer. The study's findings could inform the design of artificial tissues and organs.
Fighting kidney disease by targeting neutrophils
A new review highlights the role of neutrophils and NETs in kidney diseases, revealing an overactive immune response can damage the kidneys. Targeting neutrophils and NETs could lead to a major shift in treatment, with potential therapies showing promising results in clinical trials.