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What is Recombinant DNA?

Recombinant DNA, which is often shortened to rDNA, is an artificially made DNA strand that is formed by the combination of two or more gene sequences. This new combination may or may not occur naturally, but is engineered specifically for a purpose to be used in one of the many applications of recombinant DNA.

16 Aug 2010

Quantum Dots in Biology and Medicine

One of the most exciting forefronts of nanobiotechnology is the use of quantum dots, which are defined as semiconductor nanocrystals with excitons in all three spatial dimensions, as fluorescent dyes in biology and medicine. Initially discovered in 1980 by Alexic Ekimov and Louis E. Brus, the advances of quantum dots synthesis significantly promoted fluorescent imaging for both in vitro and in vivo applications.

19 Jul 2010

Quantum Dots in Photovoltaics

The utility of quantum dots in continually expanding as more is discovered about how they work and their specific properties that can provide novel methods of doing things. One such use is in photovoltaic energy.

19 Jul 2010

Quantum Dot and Computing

Quantum dot technology has the potential to bring computing devices as we know them to a completely new level. The nanocrystal semiconductor particles have the ability to convert light energy and electrical energy and vice versa in an efficient and stable way that could revolutionize the way computers work.

19 Jul 2010

Quantum Dot Optical Properties

The optical properties of quantum dots are known to vary between different types and can be predicted by certain factors.

19 Jul 2010

Quantum Dot Production

Semiconductors can be used to confine electrons and produce quantum dots with several different methods. These will be outlines below in further detail.

19 Jul 2010

What are Quantum Dots?

A quantum dot is a semiconductor nanocrystal with unique properties distinct from bulk semiconductors or discrete molecules. The excitons are confined in all three spatial dimensions, lending to their optical and electrical properties that prove useful in biomedical imaging, as well as the possibility for use in electronic devices and solar energy systems.

19 Jul 2010

Tau Protein Function

The proteins work together with a globular protein called tubulin to stabilize microtubules and aid the assembly of tubulin in the mircrotubules.

9 Jun 2010

What are Tau Proteins?

Tau proteins are proteins that perform the function of stabilizing microtubules. These proteins are abundant in nerve cells and are present to a much lesser degree in oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. When Tau proteins become defective and fail to adequately stabilize microtubules, pathologies of the nervous system can develop such as Alzheimer’s disease.

9 Jun 2010

What are Metabolites?

An understanding of metabolism is pivotal to comprehending the phenotypic behavior of all living organisms (including humans) where metabolism is integral to health and proper functioning. Metabolites are the intermediate products of metabolic reactions catalyzed by various enzymes that naturally occur within cells. This term is usually used to describe small molecules, although broader application is often practiced.

1 Jun 2010

Telomeres and Cancer

A ribonucleoprotein enzyme complex known as telomerase maintains telomere length in cancer cells by adding TTAGGG repeats onto the telomeric ends, compensating for the normal shortening of telomeres in all dividing cells.

20 May 2010

Systemic Telomere Length and Aging

Telomere length is the result of the equilibrium between shortening and lengthening mechanisms, and in many different organisms there is a decrease in length with increasing age. This suggests that the activity of the enzyme telomerase (which is a specialized reverse transcriptase) is limiting, even in stem cell compartments.

20 May 2010

Telomere Measurement

Southern blotting and terminal restriction fragment analysis have traditionally been regarded as the gold standard for measuring telomere length. Nevertheless, due to its labor-intensive and time-consuming nature, reproducibility problems, as well as the requirement for large amounts of genomic DNA, newer analysis methods based on polymerase chain reaction have been developed. Real-time PCR (qPCR) is the most widely used among them, and the ensuing results show a high degree of correlation with results from Southern blot analyses.

20 May 2010

Telomere Lengthening

To circumvent active DNA damage pathways that are prompted by critically short telomeres, cells must contend with the loss of telomere repeats due to various causes either by copying repeats using recombination pathways, or by synthesizing telomeric DNA “from scratch” using telomerase. The latter mechanism is found in most normal and malignant cells.

20 May 2010

Telomere Shortening

Several different mechanisms related to DNA replication, repair and remodeling are responsible for the loss of telomeric DNA. Some of the aforementioned processes take place at every chromosome end during every cell cycle, whereas others arise infrequently as a result of replicative errors or DNA damage.

20 May 2010

Telomere Function

The telomeres are special structures on the chromosome ends that are essential for providing protection from enzymatic end-degradation and maintaining chromosomal and genomic stability. This is the reason why adequate telomere structure (including the presence of telomere-binding proteins) remains pivotal for avoiding cellular dysfunction.

20 May 2010

Lentivirus Applications

Lentivirus is a genus in the family of Retroviridae that is very suitable for remodeling into gene transfer vectors due to its stable transgene expression, the ability to reach the nuclei of the important non-dividing cells and its substantially low immunogenic profile. The most important application of lentiviral vectors is gene therapy which includes the transfer of therapeutic genes into the patient's cells.

19 May 2010

Lentivirus Properties

Lentivirus genus represents a diverse, yet exceptionally cohesive group of retroviruses. Their influence on the health and general well-being of animals and humans alike has been enormous. Members of this group are found in primates, ungulates (cattle, sheep, horse and goat) and felids (cat). Vectors derived from these viruses that integrate into cellular DNA are promising tools for targeted gene therapy.

19 May 2010

Lentivirus Genome

Viruses that belong to the genus Lentivirus of the family Retroviridae are exogenous, have specific morphology and contain a relatively complex retroviral genome. Vectors derived from lentiviruses can be used for treatment strategies dependent on both transgene expression and gene correction. Gene vectors are also used extensively in basic biomedical research.

19 May 2010

What is Lentivirus?

Viruses are small obligate intracellular parasites with either a RNA or DNA genome that are surrounded by a protective protein coat and transfer their genetic material to infected cells.

19 May 2010