Video: Scientists ‘herd’ cells in new approach to tissue engineering
Sometimes it only takes a quick jolt of electricity to get a swarm of cells moving in the right direction. Researchers at UC Berkeley found … Read more
Cells
What’s Old is New as Tiny Worms Reshape Biology Lab
When Bryn Mawr’s biology department was looking for a new laboratory lecturer, they hoped to find someone who could help change the introductory biology lab … Read more
DNA ‘cages’ may aid drug delivery
Nanoscale “cages” made from strands of DNA can encapsulate small-molecule drugs and release them in response to a specific stimulus, McGill University researchers report in … Read more
Computer Simulations Yield Clues to How Cells Interact With Surroundings
Your cells are social butterflies. They constantly interact with their surroundings, taking in cues on when to divide and where to anchor themselves, among other … Read more
Wnt3a Molecule Signal Regulates Geometry of Dividing Stem Cells
For organisms to develop and grow, asymmetry is essential. New research from Howard Hughes Medical Institute scientists reveals how a localized source of a signaling … Read more
Scientists Reveal a New Way Viruses Cause Cells to Self-Destruct
Scientists have discovered that some viruses can use the most abundant protein in the cells they are infecting to destroy the cells and allow new viruses to escape to infect others. The findings build on earlier research on how virus particles become infectious and may lead to the design of more effective antiviral remedies.
‘Twin Sister’ mechanism prevents formation of genetic mutations
Twenty thousand hits per day — that’s the average dose of damage sustained by the genes within each cell of our body. How are innumerable mutations avoided? In a new study, researchers have proved the existence of a vital repair mechanism used by cells to correct this damage and showed that it’s responsible for about 85% of what are termed “last-resort” repairs. Genes can be damaged by a variety of factors, such as ultraviolet light, cigarette smoke, or certain types of viruses. Such damage, if left unrepaired, can cause mutations, which can lead to disease. The “first resort” for genetic repair is most often a mechanism that works on an “all or nothing” basis: when unable to precisely correct the damage, it stops in its tracks, leading to what can be an even more harmful effect ? the death of the cell. Fortunately, nature has provided cells with two alternative, last-resort repair systems that can take command when the first rescue mechanism fails.
