Capillaries News and Research

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Arteriolar niche used by breast cancer cells to prepare for metastasis

More than 43,000 American women will die from breast cancer this year. Most of those deaths will occur after the cancer has spread to other organs, a process called metastasis. This involves at least five major steps.

19 Aug 2021

Innovative therapeutic platform for blood-to-brain delivery of antisense oligonucleotide therapy

Antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapy has the potential to ameliorate many neurodegenerative diseases at the genetic level to suppress the production of harmful proteins or non-coding RNAs.

12 Aug 2021

Study reveals calcium's role in directing blood flow in the brain

Unlike the rest of the body, there is not enough real estate in the brain for stored energy. Instead, the brain relies on the hundreds of miles of blood vessels within it to supply fresh energy via the blood. Yet, how the brain expresses a need for more energy during increased activity and then directs its blood supply to specific hot spots was, until now, poorly understood.

22 Jul 2021

How SARS-CoV-2 infects the brain

While there is no official explanation on how SARS-CoV-2 travels to the brain, a new review published in the journal Fluids and Barriers of the CNS concluded that there is insufficient evidence on COVID-induced neurological problems coming from a direct invasion of SARS-CoV-2 into the brain.

20 Jul 2021

USC study suggests new treatment target for Alzheimer's disease in people with APOE4 gene

Like amyloid plaque, the genetic variant APOE4 has long been associated with Alzheimer's disease, but still little is known about the role the gene plays in the disease process.

14 Jun 2021

New mathematical model helps simulate progression of age-related macular degeneration

Researchers from the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) have created a mathematical model and simulated numerically the progression of age-related macular degeneration, one of the main causes of blindness.

14 Jun 2021

Researchers create cellular and spatial “atlas” of the choroid plexus during different life stages

Once viewed merely as a producer of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) bathing the brain and spinal cord, the choroid plexus is now known to be a key player in brain development and immunity.

7 Jun 2021

Researchers use new technique to visualize brain tissue noninvasively

The way the human brain works remains, to a great extent, a topic of controversy. One reason is our limited ability to study neuronal processes at the level of single cells and capillaries across the entire living brain without employing highly invasive surgical methods. This limitation is now on the brink of change.

28 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants exhibit enhanced affinity towards the ACE2 receptor

In a short correspondence paper recently uploaded to the Lancet by Ramanathan, Muthukumar et al. (May 19th, 2021) the affinity of labeled SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain proteins sourced from each of these two variants of concern towards human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) recombinant proteins is investigated using microscale thermophoresis, confirming the enhanced affinity towards the receptor observed in other studies.

22 May 2021

Dendritic cells can take a shortcut to reach the lymph nodes more quickly

In its response to pathogens and vaccines, our immune system relies on dendritic cells. These white blood cells patrol the body's tissues, collect components of pathogens and vaccines and transport them via lymphatic vessels to the nearest lymph node.

18 May 2021

Retinal scans may provide an early sign of Alzheimer's disease

While it has been said that the eyes are a window to the soul, a new study shows they could be a means for understanding diseases of the brain.

17 May 2021

New technique can help to non-invasively assess progression of sickle cell retinopathy

Ophthalmologists at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai have created a new technique to evaluate patients with sickle cell retinopathy and assess the disease before it progresses and leads to permanent vision loss.

10 May 2021

"COVID-19 diarrhea" depends on inflammatory response that is part of the disease

Researchers in the United States have provided important insights into the pathophysiology of diarrhea that occurs in some cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

29 Apr 2021

S-2-hydroxyglutarate keeps endothelial cells in a dormant state, reveals study

The inner surface of blood vessels is lined by a wafer-thin layer of cells known as the endothelium, which forms a crucial barrier between blood and the surrounding tissue.

16 Apr 2021

Researchers make a breakthrough in the quest for an AMD cure

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which leads to a loss of central vision, is the most frequent cause of blindness in adults 50 years of age or older, affecting an estimated 196 million people worldwide. There is no cure, though treatment can slow the onset and preserve some vision.

29 Mar 2021

POSTECH researchers produce artificial lung model using 3D printing

The warmer temperature and blooming flowers signal the arrival of spring. However, worries about respiratory diseases are also on the rise due to fine dust and viruses.

26 Mar 2021

Newly developed maps show how human brains are kept nourished

Our brains are non-stop consumers. A labyrinth of blood vessels, stacked end-to-end comparable in length to the distance from San Diego to Berkeley, ensures a continuous flow of oxygen and sugar to keep our brains functioning at peak levels.

3 Mar 2021

A single letter difference in a single gene spells a lifetime of anemia, pain worldwide

A single letter difference in a single gene, inherited from both parents, spells a lifetime of anemia and pain for 20 million people, mostly of African ancestry, worldwide.

2 Mar 2021

Study lays the groundwork for developing novel strategies to treat neurological diseases

A research team from the School of Life Sciences at The Chinese University of Hong Kong has recently discovered that SOX9 protein is an essential regulatory factor of choroid plexus function that ensures the correct composition of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

24 Feb 2021

Understanding the dynamics of brain blood flow could hold key for treating neurologic conditions

While the human brain has over 400 miles of total vasculature, little is known about the tiny capillaries that make up much of this intricate labyrinth of blood vessels critical for delivering oxygenated blood and nutrients to billions of brain cells.

19 Feb 2021