Developmental Biology News and Research

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Structure of BRCA2 protein complex critical for DNA repair solved

The initials BRCA2 may be best known for a gene associated with many cases of breast cancer, and the protein encoded by the BRCA2 gene is critical to repairing breaks in DNA.

13 Aug 2021

Study uncovers molecular mechanisms that promote cell-to-cell adhesion and communication

A study led by Northwestern Medicine investigators has identified the molecular mechanisms within protein complexes that promote cell-to-cell adhesion and communication, according to findings published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

11 Aug 2021

Penn study discovers a targetable vulnerability in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) cells can be destroyed and kept from multiplying by inhibiting the HDL cholesterol receptor SCARB1, according to research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

10 Aug 2021

Researchers use prime editing to correct cystic fibrosis in cultured human stem cells

Researchers from the group of Hans Clevers (Hubrecht Institute) corrected mutations that cause cystic fibrosis in cultured human stem cells.

9 Aug 2021

Restoring cholesterol levels could be a new therapeutic approach for diseases linked to TDP-43 protein

Researchers in Singapore have discovered that brain cells cannot maintain the cholesterol-rich myelin sheath that protects and insulates neurons in the absence of a protein called TDP-43.

4 Aug 2021

Researchers identify novel disorder resulting from a mutation in AIOLOS protein

Primary immunodeficiencies, such as severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID), occur when the immune system does not work properly, leading to increased susceptibility to various infections, autoimmunity, and cancers.

16 Jul 2021

Research reveals how mitochondria keep their reactive oxygen species production in check

Mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell, convert sustenance into energy, fueling the cell's activities. In addition to power, mitochondria also produce reactive oxygen species, byproduct molecules primed to help facilitate communication among the other units in the cells.

9 Jul 2021

Scientists discover drug candidates for treating liver fibrosis among pesticides

Skoltech biologists and their colleagues from Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russia, and the Chemistry Department of Taras Shevchenko University in Ukraine have discovered fairly unlikely drug candidates for treating liver fibrosis and other pathologies -- among pest control chemicals.

8 Jul 2021

Scientists mimic the natural development of mammal using stem cells

The tiny mouse embryo has a heart that beats. Its muscles, blood vessels, gut and nervous system are beginning to develop. But this embryo is unusual: It was made in a lab, out of mouse embryonic stem cells, and represents the most sophisticated in vitro (in a dish) model of a mammal ever so created.

29 Jun 2021

Maternal Omega 3-rich diet may reduce onset of breast cancer in offspring

According to researchers at Marshall University, a maternal diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids protects from breast cancer development in offspring.

28 Jun 2021

First CRISPR-Cas9-based gene drive cuts and copies genetic elements in Arabidopsis plants

With a goal of breeding resilient crops that are better able to withstand drought and disease, University of California San Diego scientists have developed the first CRISPR-Cas9-based gene drive in plants.

25 Jun 2021

Scientists to present new findings on protein biochemistry, glycobiology at Life Science Symposium 2021

How does human life begin, which processes influence the human gut microbiome, and what do researchers know about the collective intelligence of honeybees? Members of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina will answer these and other questions at the virtual symposium of Class II - Life Sciences.

15 Jun 2021

Researchers determine patterns of nuclear alignment responsible for LR-asymmetrical changes in invertebrates

On the outside, animals often appear bilaterally symmetrical with mirror-image left and right features. However, this balance is not always reflected internally, as several organs such as the lungs and intestines are left-right (LR) asymmetrical.

15 Jun 2021

Researchers find new insight on the link between a gene and congenital heart disease

New insight on the link between a gene called SORBS2 and congenital heart disease has been published today in eLife, with findings that may help explain the cause of the disease in some patients.

8 Jun 2021

New generative model has wide implications in developmental biology, regenerative medicine

Various forms of complex multicellular organisms have evolved on Earth, ranging from simple Volvox carterii which possess only 2 cell- types to us humans with more than 200 cell types. All originate from a single celled zygote, and their developmental processes depend on switch-like gene regulation.

8 Jun 2021

UVA researchers shed new light on brain development

University of Virginia School of Medicine researchers have shed new light on how our brains develop, revealing that the very last step in cell division is crucial for the brain to reach its proper size and function.

31 May 2021

Study sheds new light on human brain development

29 May 2021

Novel compound similar to psychedelic drug can reverse effects of stress in mice

A novel compound similar in structure to the psychedelic drug ibogaine, but lacking its toxic and hallucinogenic effects, has been found to rapidly reverse the effects of stress in mice.

26 May 2021

Facets of SARS-CoV-2 infection and animal models

A new study in the journal Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology discusses the ribonucleic acid (RNA) genome of the virus, and the mechanisms by which it establishes infection within the host cell. The researchers also summarize the development of animal models of COVID-19, which will both help understand the clinical features of the illness, and indicate new approaches for the treatment of the infection.

21 May 2021

Researchers describe the key facet of sexual determination in mammalian models

Early in human development, during the first trimester of gestation, a fetus may have XX or XY chromosomes that indicate its sex. Yet at this stage a mass of cells known as the bipotential gonad that ultimately develops into either ovaries or testes has yet to commit to its final destiny.

7 May 2021