Archive for cellular and molecular medicine
Getting a grip on genetic loops
A new discovery about the spatial orientation and physical interactions of our genes provides a promising step forward in our ability to design custom antibodies. This, in turn, could revolutionize the fields of vaccine development and infection control. “We are beginning to understand the full biological impact that the physical structure and movement of our ... Read More
To monitor health, simply trip the ‘nanoswitches’
WATCH: DNA nanoswitches change shape in the presence of biomarkers. The shape change is revealed in a process called gel electrophoresis. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University “Nanoswitches” — engineered, shape-changing strands of DNA — could shake up the way we monitor our health, according to new research. Faster, easier, cheaper and more sensitive tests ... Read More
Building a better botox
Aside from reducing wrinkles, botulinum toxins — a.k.a. botox — have a variety of uses in medicine: to treat muscle overactivity in overactive bladder, to correct misalignment of the eyes in strabismus, for a movement disorder called cervical dystonia that causes neck spasms, and more. Two botulinum toxins, types A and B, are FDA-approved and ... Read More
Seeking a way to keep organs young
The wear and tear of life takes a cumulative toll on our bodies. Our organs gradually stiffen through fibrosis, which is a process that deposits tough collagen in our body tissue. Fibrosis happens little by little, each time we experience illness or injury. Eventually, this causes our health to decline. “As we age, we typically accumulate ... Read More
A first for CRISPR: Cutting genes in blood stem cells
CRISPR — a gene editing technology that lets researchers make precise mutations, deletions and even replacements in genomic DNA — is all the rage among genomic researchers right now. First discovered as a kind of genomic immune memory in bacteria, labs around the world are trying to leverage the technology for diseases ranging from malaria ... Read More
Science seen: A “wheel of death” for bacteria
The innate immune system acts like a border patrol for the body, picking up bacteria and other invading pathogens using molecular sensors. One key player is the inflammasome, a multi-protein complex depicted here through cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Using structural biology tools like cryo-EM and X-ray crystallography, the Wu lab in Boston Children’s Hospital’s Program in Cellular and Molecular ... Read More
How our neutrophils might sabotage wound healing in diabetes
When you get a cut or a scrape, your body jumps into action, mobilizing a complicated array of cells and factors to stem bleeding, keep the wound bacteria-free and launch the healing process. For most of us, that process is complete in a couple of weeks. But for many people with type 1 and type ... Read More
A simpler way to measure complex biochemical interactions
Life teems with interactions. Proteins bind. Bonds form between atoms, and break. Enzymes cut. Drugs attach to cell receptors. DNA hybridizes. Those interactions make the processes of life work, and capturing them has led to many medical advances. “Determining which molecules interact, and measuring the strength of these interactions is fundamental for many areas of ... Read More
How things work: Scientists find cellular channels vital for hearing
Ending a 30-year search by scientists, researchers have identified two proteins in the inner ear that are critical for hearing, which, when damaged by genetic mutations, cause a form of delayed, progressive hearing loss. The proteins are essentially transducers: They form channels that convert mechanical sound waves entering the inner ear into electrical signals that ... Read More
Catching platelets with NETs: Neutrophils and deep vein thrombosis
Sea cucumbers have an unusual way of defending themselves. When threatened, they ensnare their foes with sticky threads. Some even expel their own internal organs to repel attackers. Immune system cells called neutrophils sometimes do much the same: When confronted with bacteria, they unravel and shoot out their chromatin—the tightly wound mix of DNA and proteins that ... Read More