Biology Cell biology

A new technique allows researchers to map how the cellular ‘skeleton’ adapts to external stress.

New shrimp species in ancient hot spring, Super sprouts, How "warm-ups" work, New antiviral candidate, Solving voltage decay and from our blog: A sustainable future shines in TIE 2023. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

- Confirmed the link between cholesterol accumulated in lysosomes and decreased mitochondrial respiration due to the APOE4 genotype and proposed a possible reason that explains a decline in brain function - Research results published in Cell Reports

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in the Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters high-speed atomic force microscopy studies that shed light on the possible role of the open reading frame 6 (ORF6) protein COVID19 symptoms.

Research out of Osaka University investigated the effect of increased cell temperature on the contractility of skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle by heating the muscle proteins using advanced microscopical techniques. The findings indicated that skeletal muscle is more sensitive to increases in temperature than cardiac muscle, and that heating can rapidly activate the contractile proteins of skeletal muscle, thereby improving muscle performance.

Hunting for supermassive black holes, Coastal survival at risk, Calcium and dead cell clean-up, Two naps are better than one & Pineapple leaf prosthetics. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers have used the power of laser light to accelerate the reaction between cancer cell-derived extracellular vesicles—a kind of nanoparticle—and antibody-modified microparticles. The three-dimensional structure of the resulting aggregates was then analyzed using a confocal optical system. The results demonstrated the ability to measure, within 5 minutes, approximately 1,000 to 10,000 nanoscale EVs contained in a 500 nL sample.

Scientists have found that extracellular calcium mediates the activation of a membrane protein that waves the flag signalling cell death

Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University have developed a measurement technique that rapidly measures the number of viable bacteria in food products. They have succeeded in drastically reducing the inspection time from 2 days to about 1 hour. With this technology, it will be possible to confirm food safety before shipment from factories and prevent food poisoning.

AXL and EGFR inhibitors combined hold promise in fighting certain head, neck, and lung cancers

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in Cell Reports how alterations in the nuclear pores lead to the degradation of anti-tumor proteins.

- Professor Minseok Kim’s team at the DGIST confirmed the excellent anticancer effects of the NK cell therapy product that can self-activate in preclinical trials with CT Cells - This work is expected to be applied in various fields as a next-generation anticancer therapy using NK cells

A team led by researchers from Osaka University elucidated a molecular mechanism that is crucial for separating genetic material into daughter cells during cell division. A protein called CENP-C is part of a complex called the kinetochore, which supports the movement of chromosomes. Two portions of CENP-C, the CCAN-binding domain and Cupin domain, are needed for CENP-C to function. The Cupin domain repeats itself through oligomerization, which is essential for proper CENP-C function.

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A research group led by Osaka University has found that plant cells may be able to detect mechanical forces to determine their own position within the leaf—whether they are on the surface or in the inner tissues—and therefore differentiate into appropriate cell types after damage. These findings reveal how plants regenerate the correct type of tissues when damaged, and may improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the high regeneration potential of plants.

Specially coated surfaces help scientists investigate what happens when cell clusters are turned upside down.

A protein that helps bats survive viral diseases might offer lessons for developing new anti-inflammatory treatments.

- In a groundbreaking study, Professor Yea’s DGIST research team verified the effectiveness of the anti-GFRAL human antibodies in improving chemotherapy-induced cancer cachexia - The team presents a candidate antibody for managing cancer cachexia, a condition without an approved and effective therapy worldwide

A tiny platform empowers scientists to examine how gut and liver cells interact in health and disease.

In hepatic steatosis, hepatocytes "die," resulting in liver damage. Severe steatosis increases hepatocellular deaths, thus aggravating liver damage. The mechanism is unclear. Using mice, we show that mild steatosis causes apoptosis whereas severe steatosis predominantly causes necroptosis leading to cell rupture. This induces strong inflammation and new cell death, producing further liver damage. We reveal the transcription factor ATF3 to be involved in this process. Our results are expected to contribute to therapeutic method development.

Researchers from Osaka University have shown that a system known as the GET pathway is essential for efficient mitophagy, the process by which mitochondria are removed from cells. The GET pathway targets a protein assembly called the Ppg1–Far complex, which inhibits mitophagy, to the membrane of a part of the cell called the endoplasmic reticulum. When the GET pathway is defective, this complex instead becomes targeted to mitochondria, where it acts to suppress mitophagy.

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in Nano Letters how high-speed atomic force microscopy can be used to assess the effectivity of spike-neutralizing antibodies for preventing COVID-19. The use of such antibodies offers a promising alternative to vaccines.

- DGIST Professor Suh Byung-chang's research team identified the regulation mechanism of calcium channels, which are important for signal transmission between nerve cells - A new clue to the development of substances for treating mental and neurological diseases

Revelations about the mechanisms of two key proteins which maintain the asymmetric distribution of cholesterol within the cell membrane could help understand and treat diseases linked to its imbalance

Silencing the gene, called WWP2, in patients in the early stages of cardiomyopathy could delay progression to heart failure by controlling immune cell infiltration and activation, and halting the formation of excessive scar tissue, preclinical data suggest.

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers introduced seven proteins, thought to let bacteria swim by switching the direction that their helical bodies spiral, into a strain of synthetic bacterium with minimal genetic information. As a result, they confirmed that the synthetic bacterium named syn3, which is normally spherical, formed a helix that could swim by spiraling. Further investigation revealed that only two of these newly added proteins were required to make syn3 capable of minimal swimming. This swimming synthetic bacterium can be said to be the smallest mobile lifeform genetically, as it contains the fewest number of genes.

A research group at the Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Science has revealed a new system that allows them to control the behavior of the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans, using two different animal opsins, a type of light-sensitive protein. The first opsin was expressed in the worms’ sensory cells responsible for triggering avoidance behavior, making the worms move. This opsin was found to be approximately 7,000 times more sensitive to white light than the commonly used optogenetic protein channelrhodopsin-2. Likewise, a UV-sensitive opsin was expressed in the worms’ motor neurons, causing the worms to stop when exposed to UV light and start moving again when exposed to green light. Both opsins tested can be switched on and off repeatedly without breaking down, making them robust tools for future research, including the field of drug discovery.

Intestinal bacteria composition is crucial to driving the recovery of neutrophils counts in the blood of mice following treatments such as stem cell transplants or chemotherapy.

In a study recently published in the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, researchers from Kanazawa University use high-speed microscopy to capture the dynamics of nanosized sacs released from cells.

In a study recently published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering, researchers from Kanazawa University use a method called “lasso-grafting” to design therapeutics with enhanced longevity and brain penetration.