The enzyme PI3K plays a critical role in cell migration. Scientists have long understood this function. But researchers have recently unveiled that a subunit of this enzyme also has the ability to slam on the breaks to this process ..read more

In a scientific breakthrough, researchers have revealed the biological mechanisms by which a family of proteins known as histone deacetylases (HDACs) activate immune system cells linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other inflammatory diseases ..read more

Researchers describe the steps they took to manipulate DNA and proteins -- essential building blocks of life -- to create cells that look and act like cells from the body. This accomplishment, a first in the field, has implications for efforts in regenerative medicine, drug delivery systems and diagnostic tools ..read more

Researchers have developed a method to use an image generation AI model to create realistic images of single cells, which are then used as 'synthetic data' to train an AI model to better carry out single-cell segmentation ..read more

Researchers used structured light and switchable fluorescent molecules to reduce the background light from the out-of-plane regions of microscope samples. This method allowed for the acquisition of images that surpassed the conventional resolution limit, and it may be useful for further study of cell clusters and other biological systems ..read more

Plant-derived nanoparticles have demonstrated significant anticancer effects. Researchers recently developed rice bran-derived nanoparticles (rbNPs) that efficiently suppressed cell proliferation and induced programmed cell death of only cancer cells. Furthermore, rbNPs successfully suppressed the growth of tumors in mice having aggressive adenocarcinoma in their peritoneal cavity, without any adverse effects. Given their low production costs and high efficacy, rbNPs hold great promise for developing affordable and safe anticancer agents ..read more

New research has shown that cells regulate cAMP/PKA signaling by forming liquid droplets that segregate excess PKA catalytic subunits where they can do no harm. Some cancers may block the formation of liquid droplets, leading to hyperactive signaling and tumor formation ..read more

Blessed thistle (Cnicus benedictus) is a plant in the family Asteraceae. For centuries, it has been used as a medicinal herb as an extract or tea, e.g. to aid the digestive system. Researchers have now found a completely novel use for Cnicin. Animal models as well as human cells have shown that Cnicin significantly accelerates axon (nerve fibers) growth ..read more

Researchers have revealed the regulatory mechanism of a specific protein, TRBP, that plays a key role in balancing the immune response triggered by viral infections in mammal cells. These findings could help drive the development of antiviral therapies and nucleic acid medicines to treat genetic disorders ..read more

Animal and plant populations have been extensively studied, which has helped to understand ecosystem processes and evolutionary adaptations. However, this has not been the case with microbial populations due to the impossibility of isolating, culturing and analyzing the genetic content of the different species and their individuals in the laboratory. Therefore, although it is known that populations of microorganisms include a great diversity, this remains largely uncharacterized ..read more