Articles tagged with Cilia
A team of Brandeis researchers has created artificial cilia-like structures that spontaneously organize into active bundles and beat in a periodic manner. This breakthrough offers a new approach for studying the beating patterns of real cilia, which could lead to advances in nanotechnology.
Researchers found that genetic mutations cause rare human diseases by disrupting a protein called Tectonic1, which forms a crucial collar around the base of cilia. This discovery provides new targets for diagnostics and treatments.
Researchers at UC Davis discovered the mechanism of cilia assembly, revealing two subunits of tubulin that, when mutated, cause cilia loss. This breakthrough has implications for understanding diseases like polycystic kidney disease and growth disorders.
Researchers at UMass Chan Medical School discovered a new function of the cilia protein IFT88 in mitosis, which could contribute to ciliopathies such as primary ciliary dyskinesia and polycystic kidney disease. IFT88 plays a transport role during mitosis, similar to its function in cilia formation.
Researchers at Princeton University discovered a gene, CCDC40, associated with congenital heart defects in humans. The gene controls right-to-left patterning and is also linked to respiratory disorders.
Researchers at the University of Southern Mississippi have developed a new material that mimics cilia, allowing for control and potential use in sensing and monitoring applications. The material responds to various stimuli, enabling its application in detecting toxins, oxygen levels, or other environmental factors.
Researchers found that genetic mutations affecting cilia function may predispose older individuals to pulmonary diseases. A simple nitric oxide testing can identify patients at risk of abnormal ciliary function.
A gene family called Dishevelled has been found to direct the migration of cilia on an embryo's node cells, which is crucial for left-right symmetry breaking and organ positioning. The finding provides insights into how certain birth defects occur in humans.
A team of scientists has discovered a new link between a common form of inherited blindness and the AHI1 gene. They found that patients carrying a specific genetic alteration were more likely to have retinal blindness, and some forms may be treatable with gene therapy.
Researchers found that BBS proteins remove excess signaling molecules to prevent damage to cilia, suggesting a new mechanism for the protein complex's function. The study suggests that BBS patients may experience cilia dysfunction due to the buildup of disruptive proteins.
Researchers at MIT have developed a novel method for moving tiny objects using magnetic fields, mimicking the motion of cilia in cells. The system could provide precise control over liquids and particles, enabling virtual microfluidics and potentially advancing biomedical screening and medical diagnostics.
Researchers discover HYLS1 is a centriolar protein required for cilia formation in humans, linking hydrolethalus syndrome to the emerging class of human ciliopathies. The study expands knowledge on human ciliopathy diseases, providing insights into severe birth defects and early neonatal death.
A study by University of Iowa researchers reveals that airway cells possess a unique 'tasting' mechanism to detect and eliminate harmful substances, bypassing the need for nervous system involvement. The discovery sheds light on how injured lungs can be further damaged.
Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a prototype that mixes tiny volumes of fluid or creates a current to move small particles, speeding up biomedical reactions. The device uses flexible rubber structures with fingers that mimic biological cilia, overcoming obstacles faced by previous teams.
A UCLA study shows that microscopic crystals in the inner ear form sound and gravity sensors through cilia movement. The research provides new clues for treating vertigo and hearing disorders related to cilia function, offering a potential gene target for therapy.
New research reveals FoxJ1 helps create left-right asymmetry by orchestrating the formation of nodal cilia, which generate fluid flow to orient tissues. The study finds that increasing FoxJ1 levels leads to the formation of ectopic cilia, challenging current theories on its role.
The new center will study active matter, which can move on its own, exhibiting properties previously observed in living materials like muscle and cells. Researchers will explore constraints on materials using DNA confinement and functioning cellular components like cilia.
Scientists have discovered that tiny hair-like cell structures known as cilia are essential for our sense of touch. The study found that mice lacking functional cilia responded more slowly to physical sensations, and patients with inherited conditions affecting cilia also had different sensation thresholds.
Researchers have sequenced the genome of Chlamydomonas, a tiny green alga with approximately 15,000 genes. The study provides new insights into human diseases associated with cilia dysfunction, as well as photosynthesis and metabolic processes.
Researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have solved the long-standing mystery of how mammalian ears amplify sound, concluding that movement of cilia atop hair cells dominates response in non-mammals but somatic motility drives amplification in mammals.
Researchers found that two proteins, HEF1 and Aurora A, control the temporary disappearance of cilia during normal cell division, leading to an untimely disassembly. This loss of cilia may contribute to cancer development by disrupting cellular response to environmental cues.
A new study has identified proteins in the rod and cones of the eye that could lead to the discovery of the genetic causes of a host of inherited eye diseases. The researchers hope to gain a clearer understanding of what goes wrong at the most basic level in these diseases that cause blindness and other disorders.
Researchers discovered a genetic link between primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) and heterotaxy, an abnormal position of the heart and lungs. This connection suggests that PCD may cause respiratory complications in children with congenital heart disease, leading to improved diagnosis and treatment.
Researchers at Salk Institute discovered a 2-step mechanism for cilia to agree on direction, enabling directional fluid flow. Cilia refinement phase ensures coordinated movement of up to 200 cilia per cell.
Joel Rosenbaum's research has made significant advances in understanding the assembly, maintenance and function of cilia and flagella, leading to a deeper understanding of polycystic kidney disease (PKD). His work has also revealed the importance of primary non-motile cilia in signaling pathways.
Researchers at the Salk Institute discovered a non-structural gene, duboraya, that influences cilia function and regulates left-right patterning in zebrafish embryos. The gene's activation by Wnt signaling pathway helps create a counterclockwise flow necessary for establishing left versus right asymmetry.
Johns Hopkins researchers have created an online tool to help advance the search for causes and treatment of rare illnesses, known as 'orphan diseases'. The new database consolidates knowledge on genes contributing to cilia operations in the body, shedding light on their role in various common disorders.
Researchers used Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to study cilia function and signaling in human cells. They found that intraflagellar transport (IFT) is necessary for cilia to bind with signaling molecules, enabling response.
Researchers at UCSB discovered a genetic pathway that could lead to new treatments for ADPKD. The polycystin-1 protein plays a key role in the disease, and its inhibition may have beneficial effects. This finding opens up new avenues for drug development.
Researchers discovered that specific genes allow motor proteins to work together, enabling efficient transport in cilia. This finding provides insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying various human diseases linked to cilia defects.
A study by Christine Gieseke and Prue Talbot found that cigarette smoke significantly reduces the transport of hamster eggs through the oviduct. The researchers exposed cumulus-coated eggs to six types of cigarette smoke, resulting in a 40-55% increase in adhesion to the infundibulum and a 20-35% decrease in egg transportation rates.
Researchers at the Salk Institute discovered a mechanism controlling left-right body plan development in embryos of mice, rabbits and fish. The cilia's clockwise rotation generates a right-to-left current that acts as an amplifier to set up a chemical gradient.
Researchers at Howard Hughes Medical Institute find that TRPA1, a protein known for its role in sensory transduction, also forms a spring-like structure in hair cells, amplifying auditory signals. The discovery sheds light on the mechanism of hearing and could lead to new treatments for hearing loss.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School have identified TRPA1 as the hair-cell transduction channel, which converts sound vibrations into nerve signals. The discovery has significant implications for understanding normal hearing and inherited forms of deafness, potentially leading to new treatments.
Researchers have found that people with the rare genetic disorder BBS syndrome are unable to detect odors due to faulty cilia in their olfactory system. The study, led by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers, used mice models to prove that ciliary problems caused by BBS-causing genes lead to impaired sense of smell.
The identification of the BBS3 gene marks a significant breakthrough in understanding the complex obesity syndrome. By studying the function of the newly discovered protein, researchers hope to unravel the details of other BBS proteins and their potential connections to obesity, learning difficulties, and other related problems.
Researchers have identified a flagellar and basal body proteome that includes the BBS5 human disease gene by comparing the genetic codes of humans and the green alga Chlamydomonas. This discovery sheds light on the complex structure and function of cilia, which are essential for various cellular processes.
Researchers have identified 688 genes involved in building human cilia, which help push fluid and molecules around outside cells. This discovery sheds new light on the causes of a rare condition called complex obesity syndrome.
Researchers discover novel gene BBS5, necessary for generating cilia and flagella, which are involved in the development of Bardet-Biedl syndrome. The study confirms that BBS is caused by defects in cilia, a theory first proposed by Dr Philip Beales.
Researchers have identified six essential genes for cilia formation in humans, which could help diagnose and treat diseases such as infertility, pulmonary diseases, and vision problems. The discovery provides a critical new tool for medical researchers to understand the genetic basis of these disorders.
A new gene, BBS8, has been identified as being involved in Bardet-Biedl syndrome, a rare genetic disorder characterized by obesity, learning disabilities, and eye/kidney problems. The protein BBS8 is found only at the base of cilia, which play key roles in mammalian development.
A research team at Johns Hopkins Medicine has identified a potential new contributor to obesity and learning disabilities, faulty cilia, in the rare genetic disorder Bardet-Biedl syndrome. Cilia play key roles in mammalian development, but defects have never been directly linked to this condition before.
Researchers identified a new gene, inversin, associated with nephronophthisis type 2, a deadly kidney disease in children. The discovery may lead to treatments and connections between the childhood disease and adult polycystic kidney disease.
A recent study has found a direct link between cilia assembly proteins and polycystic kidney disease (PKD), a condition affecting one in every 500 people. The research suggests that stopping cilia formation can cause PKD, providing new insights into the disease's mechanisms.
Researchers have identified ciliary proteins as key contributors to polycystic kidney disease progression. Mutations in these proteins can disrupt normal kidney function and lead to cyst formation.
Researchers have adapted microcilia technology to enable small satellites to quickly and efficiently dock with their mother ships. The system uses pulsating waves of tiny fingers to maneuver objects in any direction, promising a game-changing advancement for future space missions.
A team of scientists at UNC-CH has discovered a human gene that produces a protein essential for generating forces powering cilia movement. This discovery could help understand and combat chronic lung diseases such as asthma and primary ciliary dyskinesia, which affect cilia function.