Membrane Potential News and Research

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Linkam stages used to study the effects of cryopreservation on the quality of Koala spermatozoa samples

Market leaders in temperature controlled microscopy, Linkam Scientific Instruments report on the use of their temperature controlled stages in the study of the effects of cryopreservation of Koala spermatozoa in Australia.

From Linkam Scientific Instruments 28 Apr 2015

New study show how baking soda can also improve vision

Bicarbonate (baking soda) makes sparkling water sparkle, causes bread to rise, absorbs odors and can be used for cleaning all sorts of stuff, including your teeth. In the body, it plays essential roles in buffering pH, aiding in digestion and neutralizing lactic acid produced during physical exertion. Much of the bicarbonate in our bodies comes from carbon dioxide, which is produced as a waste product in all cells, although some is ingested with carbonated beverages and certain types of foods.

18 Mar 2015

Findings offer insight on mechanism reputed for triggering cell death

Synapse, the name for the signal-receiving site on a neuron, comes from the Greek word for contact. Neuroscientists used to maintain that neurons form one-to-one relationship to contact one another. Yet more researchers are finding evidence that shows how neurons function as part of a network. An incoming excitation does not always provoke an outgoing signal.

18 Nov 2014

RAAV/ABAD-DP-6His generates fusion peptide that protects PC12 cells from oxidative stress injury

The effects of Amyloid beta (Aβ)-Aβ-binding alcohol dehydrogenase (ABAD) may exacerbate Alzheimer's disease pathology.

8 May 2014

Angelica sinensis polysaccharides alleviate neuronal cell injury caused by oxidative stress

According to traditional Chinese medicine, the roles of Angelica sinensis correlate with tonifying the blood and promoting its circulation. Recent studies have shown that extracts of Angelica sinensis have antioxidative and neuroprotective effects.

10 Apr 2014

Sodium pump plays vital role in nerve impulses, heartbeats and muscular contraction

A study in The Journal of General Physiology provides new evidence that the ubiquitous sodium pump is more complex-and more versatile-than we thought.

1 Apr 2014

Researchers find new drug target for mitochondrial dysfunction

Mitochondria, long known as "cellular power plants" for their generation of the key energy source adenosine triphosphate (ATP), are essential for proper cellular functions. Mitochondrial defects are often observed in a variety of diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease, and are the hallmarks of a number of genetic mitochondrial disorders whose manifestations range from muscle weakness to organ failure. Despite a fairly strong understanding of the pathology of such genetic mitochondrial disorders, efforts to treat them have been largely ineffective.

28 Mar 2014

Procellera technology enhances cell migration in in-vitro laboratory testing

Procellera – the world's first wireless microcurrent generating dressing that produces electrical fields through its matrix of microcell batteries – was found to significantly enhance cell migration in in-vitro laboratory testing, according to groundbreaking research led by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Professor Chandan K. Sen. Professor Sen is also the Director of the Comprehensive Wound Center at Ohio State.

4 Mar 2014

Scientists identify channel that acts as 'brake', limiting spontaneous pain

Scientists have identified a channel present in many pain detecting sensory neurons that acts as a 'brake', limiting spontaneous pain. It is hoped that the new research, published today [22 January] in the Journal of Neuroscience, will ultimately contribute to new pain relief treatments.

22 Jan 2014

UCP1 protein helps fight against obesity

The uncoupling Protein 1 (UCP1) is found exclusively in brown adipose tissue. Until some years ago it was thought that only babies and hibernating animals had brown adipose tissue, but since then it also has been found in adults, so UCP1 could be useful in the fight against obesity.

20 Nov 2013

S14G-humanin: New effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease

Humanin is a potential therapeutic agent for Alzheimer's disease, and its derivative, S14G-humanin, is 1 000-fold stronger in its neuroprotective effect against Alzheimer's disease-relevant insults. Al-though effective, the detailed molecular mechanism through which S14G-humanin exerts its effects remains unclear.

31 Oct 2013

Researchers discover new gene mutations which cause devastating mitochondrial disorders

Researchers have identified a novel disease gene in which mutations cause rare but devastating genetic diseases known as mitochondrial disorders.

30 Aug 2013

Synthetic compound derived from sea anemone toxin shows potential to treat obesity

Scientists at UC Irvine reported this week that a synthetic compound ShK-186, originally derived from a sea anemone toxin, has been found to enhance metabolic activity and shows potential as a treatment for obesity and insulin resistance.

28 May 2013

Novel infertility mechanism suggested in men with metabolic syndrome

Men diagnosed with the metabolic syndrome appear to have reduced fertility potential despite the absence of leucocytospermia, report researchers.

21 Jan 2013

Model-independent way to study ion channel gating

Two studies in The Journal of General Physiology (JGP) help pave the way for a "shortcut" model-free approach to studying activation of "polymodal" ion channels-channels that open in response to multiple stimuli. Transmembrane ion channels respond to various physiological stimuli to regulate numerous cellular functions. Different classes of channels respond to different types of stimuli; some channels, for instance, respond to changes in membrane potential whereas others are activated by ligand binding.

28 Dec 2012

Study shows how MCUR1 protein helps regulate movement of calcium into mitochondria

A team of scientists from Temple University School of Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania has moved another step closer to solving a decades-long mystery of how the all-important flow of calcium into the cell's power source, the mitochondria, is controlled.

26 Nov 2012

Heart cells starved of nutrients less likely to be damaged during ischemia, reperfusion

Heart cells starved of nutrients are less likely to be damaged during periods of decreased blood flow and sudden influxes of blood, known as ischemia and reperfusion, and are also less likely to get out of synch with their cellular neighbors, the damaging phenomenon called arrhythmia.

9 Apr 2012

Scientists investigate how rhythmic activity of nerve cells supports spatial navigation

Prof. Dr. Motoharu Yoshida and colleagues from Boston University investigated how the rhythmic activity of nerve cells supports spatial navigation.

16 Sep 2011

Discovery of a key protein’s role in cell clearance could impact future treatments of autoimmune diseases, obesity and atherosclerosis

The healthy human body is extremely efficient at cleaning house. Every day, we purge 100 to 200 billion dead or dying cells – a process called cell clearance, which is fundamental in our ability to maintain a healthy physiological balance and prevent a number of chronic diseases. Professional cleaning cells, called phagocytes, are responsible for ridding the body of dead, or ‘apoptotic,’ cells.

6 Sep 2011

Scientists analyze structural changes in calcium channels caused by Timothy-mutation

The human genome encodes 243 voltage-gated ion channels. Mutations in calcium channels can cause severe inherited diseases such as migraine, night blindness, autism spectrum disorders and Timothy syndrome, which leads to severe cardiovascular disorders.

15 Jul 2011