Clockwork from scratch: How scientists made timekeeping cells
A team of UC Merced researchers has shown that tiny artificial cells can accurately keep time, mimicking the daily rhythms found in living organisms. Their findings shed light on how…
This sugar substitute does more than sweeten — it kills cancer cells
Stevia may provide more benefits than as a zero-calorie sugar substitute. When fermented with bacteria isolated from banana leaves, stevia extract kills off pancreatic cancer cells but doesn’t harm healthy…
Whispers in the womb: How cells “hear” to shape the human body
Like all complex organisms, every human originates from a single cell that multiplies through countless cell divisions. Thousands of cells coordinate, move and exert mechanical forces on each other as…
Parkinson’s reversal? One drug brings dying brain cells back to life
Putting the brakes on an enzyme might rescue neurons that are dying due to a type of Parkinson’s disease that’s caused by a single genetic mutation, according to a new…
How brain cells meant to help may be making depression worse
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a mental health condition that negatively affects the mood of a person and causes a loss of interest in activities that were previously associated with…
CRISPR-edited stem cells reveal hidden causes of autism
To allow studying the genetic causes of autism spectrum disorder, a Kobe University research team created a bank of 63 mouse embryonic stem cell lines containing the mutations most strongly…
Zika virus uses cells’ ‘self-care’ system to turn against host
A new study reveals the biological secret to the Zika virus’s infectious success: Zika uses host cells’ own “self-care” system of clearing away useless molecules to suppress the host proteins…
Cancer research reveals how chemo impact cells at the molecular level
Proteins play a central role in virtually every disease. They are the building blocks of life, serving as essential components in nearly all cellular processes. They facilitate communication between cells…
Are ‘zombie’ skin cells harmful or helpful? The answer may be in their shapes
Senescent skin cells, often referred to as zombie cells because they have outlived their usefulness without ever quite dying, have existed in the human body as a seeming paradox, causing…
Throwing a ‘spanner in the works’ of our cells’ machinery could help fight cancer, fatty liver disease… and hair loss
Fifty years since its discovery, scientists have finally worked out how a molecular machine found in mitochondria, the ‘powerhouses’ of our cells, allows us to make the fuel we need…