Tooth growth in mammals is restricted to a single row, whereas non-mammalian vertebrates, such as sharks, grow multiple rows of teeth. Until recently, the mechanisms that enabled or restricted iterative tooth development were not well understood. Understanding these regulatory mechanisms may hold benefits for humans—we don’t need multiple rows of teeth, but being able toContinueContinue reading “Showing teeth where to grow”
Category Archives: research news
How mosquitoes fight malaria
Malaria infects as many half a billion people every year and kills between 1 and 3 million people annually, many of them children living in sub-Saharan Africa. It is caused by Plasmodium spp. protozoans transmitted between humans and mosquitoes via the blood. When a mosquito consumes infected human blood, its immune system attacks Plasmodium andContinueContinue reading “How mosquitoes fight malaria”
Capuchin monkeys choose the right tool
Selecting an appropriate tool is key to the success of many tasks, and the development of this ability is typically thought to be restricted to humans and apes. But a new study shows that wild bearded capuchin monkeys can appreciate the properties of different stones and select the best one to use as a tool.ContinueContinue reading “Capuchin monkeys choose the right tool”
Serotonin triggers swarming in locusts
Desert locusts (Schistocerca gregaria) are normally solitary insects, but in crowded conditions, they undergo physical and behavioral changes and become ‘gregarious’, clustering in swarms that can include billions of individuals. These swarms devastate crops over large areas of land, causing economic hardship and affecting the livelihood of as many as one in ten people worldwide.ContinueContinue reading “Serotonin triggers swarming in locusts”
Step away from the mouse
There is no denying that mice have furthered our understanding of immunology. As subjects in basic immune studies, their utility is difficult to overstate. But by and large, the advances in knowledge that they have provided have not translated into clinically successful applications: many therapies that seem to cure mice of autoimmunity, cancer and infectiousContinueContinue reading “Step away from the mouse”
Bacterial infection may limit spread of dengue fever
Dengue fever is a viral febrile disease caused by flaviviruses carried by the Aedes aegypti mosquito vector. It affects tens of millions of people per year, primarily in tropical and African countries. The primary mode of prevention is through mosquito control, but typical mosquito control measures, such as using bed nets and draining areas ofContinueContinue reading “Bacterial infection may limit spread of dengue fever”
Vaccinating against autoimmunity?
Vaccines are already commonly used to prevent a variety of infectious diseases. Now they may become a key therapeutic strategy for a whole new host of disorders: autoimmune. New research from Peter Terness, Thilo Oelert, Sandra Ehser and their groups at Heidelberg University Hospital and German Cancer Research Center (Heidelberg, Germany) shows some success inContinueContinue reading “Vaccinating against autoimmunity?”
Marsupial genomics bounds along
Australian genomics has taken a big step forward with the completion of the genome map of the tammar wallaby. The wallaby (Macropus eugenii) is the first kangaroo species to have its genome mapped and sequenced. Researchers at the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Kangaroo Genomics (KanGO), based in Canberra, constructed the genome map,ContinueContinue reading “Marsupial genomics bounds along”
New porcine model for cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis (CF) affects about 1 in 4,000 newborns in the US. This inherited disease involves the mucus glands of the lungs, liver, pancreas and intestines, causing progressive disability from multiple system failures. About 20 years ago, it was determined that CF is caused by mutation of the gene CFTR. Despite that discovery, however, the underlyingContinueContinue reading “New porcine model for cystic fibrosis”
Fishing for toxic bacteria
Bacterial pathogens in food and water cause more than 76 million infections per year in the US, which have symptoms ranging from mild gastrointestinal discomfort to severe illness and even death. Accurate detection of these pathogens is essential for avoiding infection. Although molecular and immunological detection methods have progressed, they do sometimes fail to identifyContinueContinue reading “Fishing for toxic bacteria”
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