Physiology News and Research

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Human physiology is the science of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of humans in good health, their organs, and the cells of which they are composed. The principal level of focus of physiology is at the level of organs and systems. Most aspects of human physiology are closely homologous to corresponding aspects of animal physiology, and animal experimentation has provided much of the foundation of physiological knowledge. Anatomy and physiology are closely related fields of study: anatomy, the study of form, and physiology, the study of function, are intrinsically tied and are studied in tandem as part of a medical curriculum.

Brain protein mutation from an autistic person alters behavior in mice

A de novo gene mutation that encodes a brain protein in a child with autism has been placed into the brains of mice.

24 Jul 2019

Early exposure to farm animals may lead to robust immune system development

Getting up close - and a little dirty - with farm animals just might help us fend off illness, say researchers who've further demonstrated the benefits of early exposure to a wide variety of environmental bacteria.

23 Jul 2019

UTA scientists part of NIH-funded study of precision therapy for HFpEF patients

Nearly half of all heart failure patients do not have effective treatments for their condition, so three researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington are taking a more precise approach.

23 Jul 2019

High-resolution images offer clues to improve design of anti-nausea drugs

A new study using a special type of electron microscope using samples cooled to extremely cold temperatures provides critical information for drug developers seeking to reduce nausea and vomiting side effects of cancer treatments.

23 Jul 2019

Mosquitoes change their hunting routines in response to host cues

Scientists have found that mosquitoes are changing their hunting routines in response to host cues. For example, in Africa, mosquitoes now recognize when people emerge from bednets in the morning and have begun hunting more often during the day than at night.

23 Jul 2019

Molecular action that enables cilantro to effectively delay certain seizures uncovered

Herbs, including cilantro, have a long history of use as folk medicine anticonvulsants. Until now, many of the underlying mechanisms of how the herbs worked remained unknown.

23 Jul 2019

Evolutionary gene loss may explain heightened risk of cardiovascular disease in humans

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine say the loss of a single gene two to three million years ago in our ancestors may have resulted in a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease in all humans as a species, while also setting up a further risk for red meat-eating humans.

23 Jul 2019

Study shows geriatric risk factors associated with inability to return home after surgery

Older adults have a different physiology and unique set of needs that may make them more vulnerable to complications following a surgical procedure.

22 Jul 2019

Intestinal microbes may affect course of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science have shown in mice that intestinal microbes, collectively termed the gut microbiome, may affect the course of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

22 Jul 2019

Chemists discover a whole new class of microbial recipes

Microbes are master chefs of the biomolecular world; collectively, they harbor the ability to produce a vast array of unknown substances, some of which may have therapeutic or other useful properties.

22 Jul 2019

Aging nerve cells fail to take out the intracellular "trash"

Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, have found that with age the neurons or nerve cells fail to perform an activity that they could when they were younger. The team explains that normal cells take out protein and other “trash” or “garbage” through a process of autophagy. This rids the cell of the dysfunctional proteins and aggregates of unused proteins.

22 Jul 2019

New book explains about the molecular mechanisms implicated in skeletal muscle aging

Sarcopenia, the progressive loss of muscle mass and associated muscle weakness during aging, affects the functional capacity and general health in adult people radically and renders frail elders susceptible to serious injury from sudden falls and fractures.

21 Jul 2019

Resveratrol found in grapes could help astronauts on Mars

For the first humans on landing on Mars, a natural ingredient resveratrol could help prevent muscle atrophy due to zero gravity says a report in the Frontiers in Physiology.

18 Jul 2019

Intermittent fasting may regulate blood glucose levels even without weight loss

New research suggests that intermittent fasting, cycling through periods of normal eating and fasting may regulate blood sugar (glucose) levels even when accompanied by little-to-no weight loss.

17 Jul 2019

Researchers identify chemical compounds that increase stability of haploid cell

Since the emergence of molecular genetics more than fifty years ago, scientists have tried to isolate haploid mammalian cells, that is, cells with half the number of chromosomes contained in somatic cells. Haploid cells are a powerful genetic tool to analyze gene function.

17 Jul 2019