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Biohybrid hand gestures with human muscles

Researchers at the University of Tokyo developed a biohybrid hand that can move objects and mimic real-life forms, using multiple muscle tissue actuators created from lab-grown muscle tissue. The hand demonstrated its ability to perform complex gestures, including scissor motions, and showed signs of fatigue but recovered within an hour.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalScience Robotics·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 12, 2025

A new technique offers improved diagnostic precision and a route to personalized therapy for a common arrhythmia that affects more than 10 million people in Europe

A new diagnostic method assesses electrical and mechanical activity in the heart during atrial fibrillation, providing personalized assessment of atrial remodeling. This can help predict disease progression and guide treatment.

SourceCentro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (F.S.P.)·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 4, 2023

A ribosomal traffic jam that breaks the heart

Researchers found that a mutation in RPL3L, expressed only in heart and skeletal muscle, leads to impaired cardiac contractility by causing ribosomal collisions and protein folding abnormalities. The study aims to develop new treatments for cardiomyopathy and atrial fibrillation.

SourceKyushu University·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 18, 2023

Epithelial tube contraction

Scientists at the National University of Singapore identified a novel mechanosensitive regulation of epithelial tube contraction using the C. elegans spermatheca as a model. The study revealed that SPV-1 protein maintains regular cycles of actomyosin contractility, which helps maintain tube integrity.

SourceNational University of Singapore·JournalCurrent Biology·DateDec 19, 2014

Why is the heart heart-shaped?

A new study published in PLoS Biology found that cells change size and shape to form the heart's chambers, with blood flow and cardiac contractility influencing cell shape. The researchers propose a balance of internal and external forces necessary for optimal chamber curvature, potentially underlying some types of heart disease.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateFeb 19, 2007