Biology Cell biology

A team of researchers from Academia Sinica and National Taiwan University has identified the Drosophila Cul2 substrate adaptor DmZer1 as a key regulator of protein quality control, acting at the intersection of two major cellular “cleanup systems”: autophagy and the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Interestingly, lowering DmZer1 levels activates the Cnc/Nrf2 stress-response pathway, which in turn strengthens the cell’s ability to defend itself against oxidative stress.

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, have developed a breakthrough method for quantitative imaging of ATP levels inside living cells. The study, published in Nature Communications, introduces qMaLioffG, a genetically encoded fluorescence lifetime indicator that allows scientists to observe how cells produce and consume energy in real time.

Researchers have created a special culture medium that allows dog stem cells to stably differentiate into functional heart muscle cells complete with contractions

Scientists at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, have discovered how a gene-regulating protein forms tiny liquid-like droplets inside the cell nucleus (the compartment that stores and manages DNA) to guard against cancer. Their study, published in Nature Communications, shows that these protein droplets act as control centers that keep tumor-suppressor genes switched on.

Scientists at The University of Osaka developed a new 3D culture scaffold by integrating the strong cell-adhesive domain of laminin-511 into a clinically used fibrin gel, creating a chimeric protein called Chimera-511. This laminin-functionalized fibrin gel supports efficient 3D expansion of human iPS cells while maintaining pluripotency. As a chemically defined, xeno-free material, it offers a promising alternative to Matrigel and a potential platform for clinically applicable organoids and regenerative therapies.

UOsaka and MIT scientists revealed that the motor proteins KIF18A and CENP-E work together to align chromosomes during mitosis. Cancer cells with reduced CENP-E levels are especially sensitive to KIF18A inhibition, and dual inhibition of both proteins leads to efficient cell death. The discovery offers new insights into chromosome mechanics and a potential strategy for targeted cancer therapy.

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, report in ACS Applied Nano Materials a new method to precisely measure nuclear elasticity—the stiffness or softness of the cell nucleus—in living cells. By employing a technique called Nanoendoscopy-AFM (NE-AFM), which inserts a nanoneedle probe directly into cells, the team revealed how cancer cell nuclei stiffen or soften depending on chromatin structure and environmental conditions. The findings provide fundamental insights into how the physical properties of cancer cell nuclei change during disease progression, highlighting their potential as biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment evaluation.

Researchers from The University of Tokyo have found that single cells in collective chemotaxis act like agents in distributed reinforcement learning, utilizing the environment as an “external memory” and exhibiting highly intelligent behavior.

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A Kyoto University study has revealed, for the first time, how the body produces the “good cholesterol” that can prevent heart disease

An international research group led by The University of Osaka has developed scODIN, a novel computational tool to classify cell types from single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data. Existing methods struggle to balance speed and accuracy, often misclassifying rare or transitional cells. scODIN overcomes this limitation by combining a hierarchical classification system (Tier system) with k-nearest neighbor inference. This approach allows for the rapid and accurate classification of large datasets, processing 650,000 cells in just six minutes. The tool's improved accuracy stems from its ability to identify cells at varying levels of detail, recognize intermediate phenotypes through double labeling, and recover cells affected by dropout events. scODIN promises to accelerate biomedical discoveries by enabling more precise and efficient analysis of complex biological processes and disease mechanisms.

Reef-building corals use a previously unknown mechanism involving chloride to ‘see’ visible light

A customizable protein has been developed to help the body remove harmful cells, such as those involved in cancer or autoimmune diseases, offering a potential new direction for treatments.

Changing the interval between fertility drugs boosts fertility even in rats that typically respond poorly

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Singapore-led study shows specialised support cells in the gut form direct, neuron-like connections to deliver precise instructions to stem cells; Overturns long-held beliefs about how gut cells communicate; Opens new paths for treating colon cancer and IBD

When fermented with plant-derived bacteria, stevia leaf extract is toxic to pancreatic cancer cells but not to healthy kidney cells

Using iPS cells, veterinary medicine has made a step forward in creating a stable MSC supply

A surgeon can excise breast cancer from the body, but even the most skilled scalpel may not be able to remove every cell — especially when the cells have spread from the original disease site elsewhere in the body. This proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells involves many still unknown molecular means, but researchers at Hiroshima University have elucidated at least one mechanism, involving protein receptors that bind to one another. With the discovery, they may have also uncovered how short chains of protein building blocks could serve as a novel anticancer drug.

Suppression of de novo fatty acid synthesis with ethyl p-methoxycinnamate found to inhibit tumor cell growth

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Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, detail how clusters of cells detach from primary tumors and penetrate blood-vessel walls to enter the bloodstream, enabling them to establish distal metastases

Scientists at Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University have captured real-time footage showing how a key hormone receptor activates genes, offering a clearer view into one of the most fundamental Kaprocesses in biology.

Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, demonstrates a novel approach for nanoscopic profiling of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) using high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) videography. This pioneering method provides an unprecedented level of detail in characterizing sEV subpopulations, offering new insights into their biological roles and potential applications in disease diagnostics.

Researchers at Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, report in "Nature Communications" how the targeted suppression of lysosome function may lead to brain cancer therapy.

Researchers at Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University and colleagues have achieved a major breakthrough in understanding sperm DNA packaging. Using high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM), they captured the real-time process of protamine (PRM)-induced DNA condensation, providing critical insights into fertility, genome stability, and future applications in medicine. Their findings are published in "Nucleic Acids Research".

Researchers from The University of Osaka identify a molecule that can support specific therapeutic targeting of AML with chimeric antigen receptor therapy

Suppression of the CcMCA1 gene has potential in halting invasive plant species

Cryo-electron microscopy reveals molecular structure of twin motors that power mycoplasma’s ability to glide

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