Cell Membrane News and Research

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Researchers identify new mechanism by which normal cells turn malignant in mammary epithelial tissues

A team of researchers led by David J. Mooney, Robert P. Pinkas Family Professor of Bioengineering at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, have identified a possible mechanism by which normal cells turn malignant in mammary epithelial tissues, the tissues frequently involved in breast cancer.

17 Jun 2014

Novel microscopy technology helps detect protein that plays key role in prostate cancer

Assemblies of proteins, known as protein complexes, have important functions in cells; protein complexes embedded in the cell membrane, for example, are responsible for the exchange with the extracellular environment.

16 Jun 2014

New class of tumor-targeting agents can seek out dozens of solid tumors

Scientists at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center (UWCCC) report that a new class of tumor-targeting agents can seek out and find dozens of solid tumors, even illuminating brain cancer stem cells that resist current treatments.

13 Jun 2014

Scientists design nanoparticle to target tumor cells

Scientists at UC Santa Barbara have designed a nanoparticle that has a couple of unique - and important - properties.

9 Jun 2014

Berkeley Lab scientists identify why older women are more susceptible to breast cancer

Scientists from the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have gained more insights into why older women are more susceptible to breast cancer. They found that as women age, the cells responsible for maintaining healthy breast tissue stop responding to their immediate surroundings, including mechanical cues that should prompt them to suppress nearby tumors.

6 Jun 2014

Experts from ProfNet network available to discuss timely issues in coverage area

Below are experts from the ProfNet network that are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact them via the contact information at the end of the listing.

31 May 2014

DNA-binding fluorescent dyes evaluate cytotoxicity in real-time during screening

High throughput screening of compounds in live cells is a powerful approach for discovering new drugs, but the potential for cell toxicity must be considered.

31 May 2014

Biologists show bioelectrical signals control tumors arising from cancer-causing genes, fatty acid

Developmental biologists at Tufts University, using a tadpole model, have shown that bioelectrical signals from distant cells control the incidence of tumors arising from cancer-causing genes and that this process is impacted by levels of a common fatty acid produced by bacteria found in the tadpole and also in humans.

28 May 2014

Study detects hormone receptor's key role in normal organ development and function

A discovery by UC Irvine endocrinologists about the importance of cell surface receptors for estrogen has the potential to change how researchers view the hormone's role in normal organ development and function.

28 May 2014

New antibody appears to block sensations of pain, itching in mouse model

Duke University researchers have found an antibody that simultaneously blocks the sensations of pain and itching in studies with mice.

23 May 2014

Researchers identify heart-specific form of protein that protects against irregular heartbeats

Researchers at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute have identified a heart-specific form of a protein, BIN1, responsible for sculpting tiny folds in pockets that are present on the surface of heart muscle cells.

19 May 2014

Recycling patients' red blood cells during heart surgery better than banked blood transfusion

Patients whose own red blood cells are recycled and given back to them during heart surgery have healthier blood cells better able to carry oxygen where it is most needed compared to those who get transfusions of blood stored in a blood bank, according to results of a small study at Johns Hopkins.

9 May 2014

Shift switches pain sensor from cold-sensitive to hot-sensitive

Ice cream lovers and hot tea drinkers with sensitive teeth could one day have a reason to celebrate a new finding from Duke University researchers. The scientists have found a very small change in a single protein that turns a cold-sensitive receptor into one that senses heat.

9 May 2014

Researchers demonstrate possibility of using blood test to detect depression

Researchers at the MedUni Vienna have demonstrated the possibility of using a blood test to detect depression. While blood tests for mental illnesses have until recently been regarded as impossible, a recent study clearly indicates that, in principle, depression can in fact be diagnosed in this way and this could become reality in the not too distant future.

30 Apr 2014

Researchers use RNA sequencing to look at early- and late-stage development of the heart

Most people think the development of the heart only happens in the womb, however the days and weeks following birth are full of cellular changes that play a role in the structure and function of the heart. Using mouse models, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have now been able to categorize the alternative splicing (the process in which genes code proteins, determining their role) that takes place during these changes and what mechanisms they affect.

26 Apr 2014

Study could lead to better understanding of how Notch protein directs healthy development of organs

Johns Hopkins researchers report they have figured out how the aptly named protein Botch blocks the signaling protein called Notch, which helps regulate development. In a report on the discovery, to appear online April 24 in the journal Cell Reports, the scientists say they expect the work to lead to a better understanding of how a single protein, Notch, directs actions needed for the healthy development of organs as diverse as brains and kidneys.

26 Apr 2014

TSRI scientists identify protein complex that plays critical role in learning and memory formation

Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have identified a protein complex that plays a critical but previously unknown role in learning and memory formation.

23 Apr 2014

Researchers develop first size-based form of chromatography using nanodot technology

Using nanodot technology, Berkeley Lab researchers have demonstrated the first size-based form of chromatography that can be used to study the membranes of living cells.

23 Apr 2014

Drug used to treat TB may also act against various infections, says study

A drug under clinical trials to treat tuberculosis could be the basis for a class of broad-spectrum drugs that act against various bacteria, fungal infections and parasites, yet evade resistance, according to a study by University of Illinois chemists and collaborators.

18 Apr 2014

Drugs used to treat osteoporosis appear to prevent cell membrane repair

A class of drugs widely used to treat osteoporosis appears to impede a cell's ability to repair a protective outer membrane that helps determine what enters and exits, researchers report.

15 Apr 2014