Navigation Links
Shedding light on cancer cells
Date:9/24/2009

Scientists label cells with coloured or glowing chemicals to observe how basic cellular activities differ between healthy and cancerous cells. Existing techniques for labelling cells are either too slow or too toxic to perform on live cells. Now, a study reviewed by Philip Dawson, a member of Faculty of 1000 Biology and leading authority in chemistry and cell biology, describes a novel labelling technique that uses a chemical reaction to make live cancer cells light up quickly and safely.

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital developed a two-step process to specifically tag cancer cells. First, chemically modified antibodies home in on cancer cells. Then a chemical reaction called cycloaddition transfers a dye onto the antibody making the cancer cells glow when viewed through a microscope.

The novel cycloaddition reaction is fast, very specific, and requires minimal manipulation of the cells. Dawson comments that, in combining antibody binding with the cycloaddition, "low signal-to-noise ratios are achieved". This new labelling technique could be used to track the location and activity of anti-cancer drugs, the location of cancer-specific proteins within the cell, or to visualize cancer cells inside a living organism.

Dawson concludes that cycloaddition will allow scientists to observe live cancer cells in the body, leading to a better understanding of cancer's basic processes.


'/>"/>

Contact: Steve Pogonowski
press@f1000.com
Faculty of 1000: Biology and Medicine
Source:Eurekalert

0

GOOD

Page: 1

Related biology news :

1. Clemson scientists shed light on molecules in living cells
2. September Geology and GSA Today media highlights
3. Highlights from the September 2007 Journal of the American Dietetic Association
4. Genome study shines light on genetic link to height
5. Pig study sheds new light on the colonisation of Europe by early farmers
6. Researchers developing device to predict proper light exposure for human health
7. AGU journal highlights -- Sept. 6, 2007
8. IDEMA Reveals Program Highlights for DISKCON USA 2007
9. Men shed light on the mystery of human longevity, study finds
10. Zebrafish to shed light on human mitochondrial diseases
11. UT researcher sheds new light on hybrid animals
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:12/17/2009)... emissions from deforestation may generate multiple environmental and ... are both carbon and biodiversity-rich. , But the ... Conservation Letters , also warns of challenges in ... Africa unless safeguards are followed. , This is ... Degradation (REDD) might also displace and intensify activities ...
(Date:12/16/2009)... change in warmer water, according to an intriguing new ... more aggressive. , Experiments with two species of young ... the first time that some reef fish are either ... differences are even more marked as water temperatures rise. ... degrees may have only a small effect on some ...
(Date:12/16/2009)... Canada and the US have proposed a new ... The team,s findings, published in Animal Conservation ... through feeding behaviour, can benefit highly mobile marine ... enormous challenges associated with setting conservation priorities for ... lead author Erin Ashe, a PhD student at ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):New report underlines multiple benefits but also new challenges to biodiversity-rich sites 2New report underlines multiple benefits but also new challenges to biodiversity-rich sites 3Fish with attitude: Some like it hot 2Zoning the ocean may help endangered whales to recover 2Zoning the ocean may help endangered whales to recover 3Mom on Mission for Quality Affordable Healthcare for All Drives Purple Bus Across Nation Gathering Stories 48902 1Mom on Mission for Quality Affordable Healthcare for All Drives Purple Bus Across Nation Gathering Stories 48902 2Mom on Mission for Quality Affordable Healthcare for All Drives Purple Bus Across Nation Gathering Stories 48902 3Ceremony at Passavant Area Hospital to Launch Efficiency Improvements 48899 1Ceremony at Passavant Area Hospital to Launch Efficiency Improvements 48899 2Ceremony at Passavant Area Hospital to Launch Efficiency Improvements 48899 3Mapping gene expression with Gene Expression Atlas 48896 1Mapping gene expression with Gene Expression Atlas 48896 2
... is a significant driver of tropical forest destruction across ... the Amazon rainforest because of a proposed change in ... agro-industrial firms in the region, according to William F. ... in Panama. , Laurance and Rhett A. Butler, founder ...
... wild ancestor more than 8700 years according to biological ... River Valley. This is the earliest dated evidence ... use of domesticated maize. , The researchers, led by ... the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, reported their ...
... clearing a swath of Amazonian rainforest, local residents ... bites and a spike in malaria. Veterinarians keep ... can harm populations of local invertebrates like dung ... increased food security and provide sources of medicine ...
Other Biology News:Smithsonian scientist warns that palm oil development may threaten Amazon 2Researchers find the earliest evidence of domesticated maize 2Exploring the dynamic relationship between health and environment 2Exploring the dynamic relationship between health and environment 3Exploring the dynamic relationship between health and environment 4
(Date:12/17/2009)... ,and PM360 Pharma Choice Awards Programs. , ... ... communications agency Goble & Associates, Inc. (G&A) recently received recognition ... interactive work. , , ,THE RX CLUB AWARDS ,The ... the following creative work: Hospira LifeShield ad campaign, VisIV sales ...
(Date:12/16/2009)... to find undetected landmines. , Students from the University ... green when it comes into contact with chemicals leaked ... into a colourless solution that, when sprayed on to ... of landmines. , Researchers say that the organism, ... the air onto areas thought to contain landmines, with ...
(Date:12/16/2009)... Technological University (NTU) signed the Memorandum of Understanding ... Research (CNRS) and the Thales Group of Companies ... three parties are meeting again in Singapore to ... NTU. , Located at the Research Techno ... latest in science and technology to develop innovations ...
(Date:12/16/2009)... microgears in suspended solution by swimming , ... ... Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National ... bacteria can turn microgears when suspended in a solution, providing ... , , ,“The gears are a million times more massive ...
Breaking Biology Technology:Goble & Associates Creative Work Awarded at Advertising Industry Competitions 2Goble & Associates Creative Work Awarded at Advertising Industry Competitions 3Goble & Associates Creative Work Awarded at Advertising Industry Competitions 4New Singapore-French nanotech lab opens at NTU 2New Singapore-French nanotech lab opens at NTU 3Argonne Scientists Use Bacteria to Power Simple Machines 2Argonne Scientists Use Bacteria to Power Simple Machines 3
... Bay, Wis. Getting more spam in your inbox ... a possible solution. , ,With its new MailFoundry 4100 anti-spam ... week, Solinus has taken a "get-what-you-pay-for" approach to its product ... more money. , ,Solinus, which also filters spam as a ...
... tactics. However, there is one area where I finally decided it's ... sure, there are various articles and such that describe the "improved ... The problem is that at least half of us use no ... to prove my point. I took my laptop home from work, ...
... gives you the scoop on some of the ways Internet ... information through fraudulent e-mails and Web sites. Be on the ... company, NameProtect, has identified e-mails that look like they come ... February 12, 2005 Listen to this episode ...
Other Biology Technology:Frying spam for the masses 2Screen-door security: most wireless networks left wide open 2Screen-door security: most wireless networks left wide open 3
Request Info...
... a clone of the human Topoisomerase II gene. ... the topological state of nucleic acids by passing ... which generates a separate DNA helix (1,2) . ... mechanism, the enzyme can relax negatively or positively ...
Request Info...
... - Neurosphere is a system designed for ... neurospheres in a serum free environment. The kit ... which has been optimized for neural stem cell ... Genes & Development 10 :3129). Two growth ...
Biology Products: