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Stem Cell Differentiation in the Colon

The stem niche of the intestine is located within the crypts of Lieberkühn and provids physical protection to stem cells. These cells are constantly replenishing themselves, and the surface epithelium is replaced every 5 days. The other parts of the intestine is composed of villus and crypts to maximize surface area, while there is no villus in colon.

29 Oct 2018

What is the Inflammasome?

When the body becomes injured or unwell, there are many biochemical responses which are activated, including immune response, blood-clotting response, and inflammatory response. A multiprotein oligomer (a molecule consisting of many protein units), called the inflammasome, mediates this inflammatory response to injury/illness.

29 Oct 2018

Structure and Role of Flagella in Prokaryotes

Flagella are primarily used for cell movement and are found in prokaryotes as well as some eukaryotes. The prokaryotic flagellum spins, creating forward movement by a corkscrew shaped filament. A prokaryote can have one or several flagella, localized to one pole or spread out around the cell.

29 Oct 2018

Pseudo-Affinity Chromatography

Chromatography is the separation of compounds from a mixture, and this is dependent on the properties of the compound. These properties include the size and charge of the compounds, and also how they interact with the mobile and solid phases.

28 Oct 2018

Histones and the Cell Cycle

In chromosomes, DNA is wrapped around proteins called histones. These histones are crucial for efficient packaging of DNA, as well as the replication and segregation of chromosomes themselves. Due to their affiliation with DNA, histones are important for successful cell replication, which takes place via the cell cycle.

28 Oct 2018

Does the Source of a Stem Cell Change Its Properties?

Stem cells are defined by their ability to develop into different types of adult cell, while replenishing their own stores to ensure a constant supply.

28 Oct 2018

Photolithography Microfabrication Technique

Photolithography is one of the most important and easiest methods of microfabrication, and is used to create detailed patterns in a material. In this method, a shape or pattern can be etched through selective exposure of a light sensitive polymer to ultraviolet light.

28 Oct 2018

MALDI-TOF in Microbiology

Until recently, clinical diagnostic laboratories predominantly relied on conventional phenotypic ways of diagnosing infections, and sometimes on gene sequencing techniques. The latest advancements in technology include matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry which has entered quotidian microbiological practice.

28 Oct 2018

Industrial Production of Antibodies

Industrial preparation of antibodies requires efforts to produce stable cell lines and commercially viable quantities of pure antibodies. These antibodies are then used for diagnostics, in molecular microbiology or even as a treatment for certain medical conditions.

28 Oct 2018

What is Focused Ion Beam Lithography?

Ion beam lithography is used to create fine nanostructures on a surface, such as circuit boards. It can be used to directly write on the material, rather than using a photomask, as in photolithography. This is essential for creating single runs, prototypes, modifications or repairs, where the cost of a high-definition photomask can run well above $10,000.

28 Oct 2018

What is Electron Beam Lithography?

Electron beam lithography is used to draw a custom pattern on the surface of a material coated with a layer of resist. Upon exposure to electrons, this material either becomes highly soluble, allowing its removal by immersion in a solvent, or cross-links, making it resistant to a solvent so that the surrounding resist is removed.

28 Oct 2018

Genes that Control Pluripotency

Pluripotency is defined as the ability of a stem cell to differentiate into any cell within the three germ layers (endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm). Embryonic stem cells can develop into any type of cell in the human body. As an embryo develops, genes which are involved in pluripotency are expressed less, leading to increased lineage commitment and differentiation.

28 Oct 2018

Immunophenotyping in Flow Cytometry

Flow cytometric immunophenotyping involves analyzing a heterogenous population of cells in order to identify a cell population of interest.

25 Oct 2018

The Baculovirus Expression Vector System (BEVS)

The Baculovirus Expression Vector System (BEVS) is used to produce recombinant proteins. The BEVS has applications in virology and biotechnology.

25 Oct 2018

Dye-ligand Affinity Chromatography for Protein Purification

Synthetic dyes can act as alternative ligands for proteins and can be used as part of a protein purification protocol for affinity chromatography.

25 Oct 2018

Improving Chromatography Quality and Efficiency

This article explains the equations used to calculate chromatography efficiency and how to improve both efficiency and quality of the resolution.

25 Oct 2018

Nanocomposites in Biomedicine

Nanocomposites range between 1‑–100 nm in diameter and are up of ceramic, metal, or polymer. It is imbued with nanoscale fibers or particles to increase catalytic activity, alter physical properties of the material, adjust the refractive index and optical properties, or create superparamagnetic materials.

24 Oct 2018