Neurons find their place in the developing nervous system with the help of a sticky molecule
The brain, that exquisite network of billions of communicating cells, starts to take form with the genesis of nerve cells. Most newborn nerve cells, also called neurons, must travel from their birthplace to the position they will occupy in the adult brain. Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have identified a molecule expressed on the surface of certain migrating neurons that...Sticky surfaces turn slippery with the flip of a molecular light switch
Changing a surface from sticky to slippery could now be as easy as flipping a molecular light switch. Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have created an "optically switchable" material that alters its surface characteristics when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light. The new material, which is described in the June 19 issue of the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition, could h...'Sticky' mice lead to discovery of new cause of neurodegenerative disease
When a faulty protein wreaks havoc in cells and causes disease, researchers are usually quick to point the finger at a wayward gene. Now scientists are learning that some neurodegenerative diseases can develop even though a gene is perfectly normal. The diseases can be caused when the genetic instructions contained in the gene are not executed properly, leading to a lethal buildup of malformed pr...Coated nanoparticles solve sticky drug-delivery problem
The layers of mucus that protect sensitive tissue throughout the body have an undesirable side effect: they can also keep helpful medications away. To overcome this hurdle, Johns Hopkins researchers have found a way to coat nanoparticles with a chemical that helps them slip through this sticky barrier. During experiments with these coated particles, the researchers also discovered that...Sticky Proteins Provide New Insight Into Drug Action
How drugs such as adrenalin do primarily one thing – in this case, increase the heart rate – now makes more sense to scientists.// “Any time you get a sudden jolt, adrenaline (a.k.a. epinephrine) is why your heart rate goes up,” says Dr. Nevin A. Lambert, a biophysicist at the Medical College of Georgia. “If your heart is about to stop and the doctor administers epinephrine, that is wh...