The oldest surviving multicellular animals (or metazoans)—sponges—are simple organisms. Though they lack organs and muscles, they possess valuable genetic information that explains how cells first came to cooperate and behave as a collective. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the development of multicellularity can help us to define what it really means to be an animal. LabContinueContinue reading “The basics of being animal”
Category Archives: research news
Where fat cells come from
The mammalian body uses two types of fat cells, brown and white adipocytes, to store energy. The number of adipocytes in the body changes with age and body mass and also varies with gender. In addition, there are functional variations among adipocytes from different body locations (or depots). Changes in adiposity, especially the accumulation ofContinueContinue reading “Where fat cells come from”
Toward a cure for diabetes
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that affects at least 171 million people worldwide. Many people with diabetes are dependent on insulin and must take daily injections to regulate the levels of glucose in their blood. Failure to control blood glucose levels can result in various acute and long-term complications that can have severe healthContinueContinue reading “Toward a cure for diabetes”
Fruit flies and milk sugar
Galactosemia is an inherited metabolic disorder that occurs in roughly 1 of 60,000 babies. It is caused by enzymatic defects in the pathway that processes galactose, a sugar common in dairy products. Affected babies seem healthy at birth but quickly develop acute symptoms when exposed to milk and often die unless the condition is diagnosed.ContinueContinue reading “Fruit flies and milk sugar”
New protection against Ebola virus
Outbreaks of Ebola virus infection are associated with hemorrhagic fever and high mortality rates. There are currently no preventive or protective treatments for Ebola infections, although some progress has been made in vaccine development. Development of strategies for managing infection once a person has been exposed to the virus has been much slower. One researchContinueContinue reading “New protection against Ebola virus”
Pain receptor turns up the heat
In the US alone, almost 50 million people suffer from chronic pain. Treatment options are largely limited to opioids (like morphine) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (like aspirin), which carry risks of addiction, dependency or organ damage. But the recent elucidation of a new pain pathway may lead to the development of new treatment options. LabContinueContinue reading “Pain receptor turns up the heat”
Knocking out compulsive behavior
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by obsessive thoughts, compulsive repetitive actions and, often, anxiety and depression. Its underlying causes and pathology remain largely unknown, although a genetic component has been suggested. Now, scientists have identified a gene whose absence causes OCD-like behavior in mice. The gene encodes Slitrk5, a neuron-specific transmembrane proteinContinueContinue reading “Knocking out compulsive behavior”
Losing a gene, regaining lost tissue
Tissue regeneration may be common in certain species but is rare in mammals. Typical mammalian healing involves scar formation, and scar tissue is quite different from the original tissue that it replaces. Regeneration, on the other hand, involves formation of a blastema, a group of cells capable of rapid growth that recreates missing tissue. RegenerationContinueContinue reading “Losing a gene, regaining lost tissue”
Is junk food addictive?
New work from Paul Johnson and Paul Kenny (Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL) has elucidated the neurobiology underlying compulsive eating. Their results suggest that rats with easy access to high-fat diets may become addicted to the ‘junk’ food. Lab Anim. (NY) 39, 126 (2010). view full text (login required)
Ghrelin stops liver fibrosis
Fibrosis is the accumulation of tough scar tissue; in the liver, it can impair function, eventually leading to liver failure. Liver fibrosis can occur in both chronic and acute liver diseases, including hepatitis, cirrhosis and cancer. The only effective treatment for fibrosis is to remove the underlying cause of the damage, which may not beContinueContinue reading “Ghrelin stops liver fibrosis”
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