Metabolism News and Research

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Metabolism is the means by which the body derives energy and synthesizes the other molecules it needs from the fats, carbohydrates and proteins we eat as food, by enzymatic reactions helped by minerals and vitamins.

Study Offers a New Perspective on the Evolution of Large Human Brains

Brain tissue is among the most energetically costly in the body, and as a result, larger-brained mammals require more energy to support brain growth and maintenance.

3 Dec 2024

New Frontier in Protein Quality Control and Brain Health

Beyond their use as fuel during fasting, the body's production of ketones plays a part in controlling cellular functions and aging processes.

3 Dec 2024

Comprehensive Review of Intracellular Checkpoints in NK Cell Biology and Cancer

Natural killer (NK) cells play an important role in the innate immune response to cancer and viral infections, and their presence in tumors correlates with improved patient outcomes in a variety of cancers.

29 Nov 2024

Novel Role for Viscoelasticity in Cellular Signaling and Response

An important mechanism in fat cells (adipocytes) that allows them to safely enlarge to store energy has been discovered by a team at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), led by Professor Miguel Ángel del Pozo Barriuso, who leads the CNIC's Mechanoadaptation and Caveolae Biology group.

29 Nov 2024

Systemic Metabolic Adaptation Supports Tissue Regeneration in Axolotls and Fruit Flies

Regenerating tissues following injury is a demanding task most multicellular organisms master to different levels. In order to better understand the mechanisms common to many species behind tissue regeneration, researchers from the Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden and the BIOTEC (TU Dresden), decided to examine changes in systemic metabolism during regeneration.

29 Nov 2024

Researchers Develop Mathematical Definition of Cellular Death

Cellular death is a fundamental concept in the biological sciences. Given its significance though, its definition depends on the context in which it takes place, and lacks a general mathematical definition.

28 Nov 2024

Promising New Target for Cancer Immunotherapy

Sensing infection and cellular change is essential for effective immunity. Human cells have a specialized chemical called MR1 on their surface.

27 Nov 2024

How CRISPRi is Helping Combat Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis

Findings on isoniazid-resistant M. tuberculosis reveal key vulnerabilities, suggesting new avenues for treatment strategies against drug-resistant tuberculosis.

20 Nov 2024

Caterpillar Fungus Compound Blocks Cancer Growth Signals Within 30 Minutes

Cordycepin, derived from fungi, shows promise in cancer therapy by inhibiting growth factor signaling pathways critical for cell proliferation and survival.

15 Nov 2024

New Strategy Reinvigorates Exhausted T Cells to Fight Cancer

As cancer cells grow, they pump out metabolic byproducts such as lactic acid into the tumor microenvironment. Exhausted T cells -; which have lost their cancer-fighting oomph -; consume this lactic acid, which further saps their energy, according to new research from the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.

11 Nov 2024

New GIFT Method Outshines GWAS in Genetic Breakthrough

Genomic Informational Field Theory (GIFT) enhances genetic association detection, outperforming GWAS in mapping complex traits and subtle genetic interactions.

8 Nov 2024

How Neuroimmune Cells Modulate Immune Responses and Neuroinflammation

The brain, traditionally considered an immune-privileged organ due to the blood-brain barrier (BBB), has its own sophisticated immune defense system.

7 Nov 2024

AI and Bioinformatics Reveal Genes Linked to Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoporosis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a common disease affecting an estimated 17 million people worldwide. The disease is caused by immune cells attacking the joints and can result in pain, swelling, and damage to the cartilage and bone.

6 Nov 2024

Gut Bacteria Influence Stress Responses Through Circadian Rhythms

A pioneering study has uncovered the vital role that gut microbiota plays in regulating stress responses by interacting with the body's circadian rhythms.

6 Nov 2024

Unveiling the Metabolic Strategies of Deep-Sea Coral-Associated Bacteria

Two incredible bacterial species have been found in the tissue of two deep-sea corals from the Gulf of Mexico by a German-American research team headed by Dr. Samuel Vohsen from Lehigh University in the USA and Professor Dr. Iliana Baums from the Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg (HIFMB).

5 Nov 2024

ALDH3A2 Enzyme Controls Red-Yellow Pigment Balance in Parrots

A single enzyme fine-tunes red and yellow pigments in parrots' polychromatic plumage, according to a new study. The findings reveal new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the evolution and display of color variation in one of nature's most colorful birds. Colors play a central role in ecological adaptation and communication in the natural world.

4 Nov 2024

New Discovery Shows TAGLN2 Protein Boosts T Cell Immunity Against Tumors by Enhancing Lipid Metabolism

Findings indicate ovarian cancer disrupts CD8+ T cell metabolism through FABP5 and TAGLN2, suggesting new therapeutic targets for enhancing immune function.

1 Nov 2024

Integrating Multiple Scales to Understand Brain Function

A long-standing goal of neuroscience is to understand how molecules and cellular structures on a microscale give rise to communication between brain regions at the macroscale. A study published in Nature Neuroscience now identifies, for the first time, hundreds of brain proteins that explain inter-individual differences in functional connectivity and structural covariation in the human brain.

1 Nov 2024

New Insights Into the Role of p53 in Intestinal Inflammation

A group of scientists from Charité – Universitätsmedizin and the Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology of the Max Delbrück Center have provided fresh insight into the pathophysiology of ulcerative colitis an inflammatory bowel disease that affects an estimated five million people globally and is associated with a higher risk of colon cancer.

28 Oct 2024

Study Reveals Role of Gut Microbes in Enhancing Children's Health

To address childhood malnutrition -; which affects 200 million children globally -; researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis developed a therapeutic food that nourishes the collections of beneficial microbes that reside in the gut, and improves children's growth and other measures of their health.

25 Oct 2024