MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'cell biology'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:20:33 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4314006&cid=t_119257_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhenrietta-lacks-and-her-immortal-cells%2F2011.01.05 If you like science, true history, and an engaging story, pick up the new book by journalist Rebecca Skloot, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” and prepare for a great read. I knew nothing about the young black woman whose cells were taken back in 1951 by a scientist at Johns Hopkins Hospital and how those cells have revolutionized modern cell biology and research. The HeLa (named after HEnrietta LAcks) cells were taken as she lay dying on the “colored” ward at Johns Hopkins Hospital of aggressive cervical cancer at age 30. Everyone who studies basic cell biology has heard of HeLa cells because they were the first human cell line to be successfully grown in culture and they are alive today. HeLa cells were sent to researchers all across the globe and have been... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4314006 Wed, 05 Jan 2011 20:00:00 +0100 4314006 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4205935&cid=t_119257_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbiological-cinematography-animating-the-cells-of-life%2F2010.11.27 The New York Times published an article (with VIDEO) about molecular animators, scientists who can visualize the microscopic segments of life in a professional way: If there is a Steven Spielberg of molecular animation, it is probably Drew Berry, a cell biologist who works for the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, Australia. Mr. Berry’s work is revered for artistry and accuracy within the small community of molecular animators, and has also been shown in museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. In 2008, his animations formed the backdrop for a night of music and science at the Guggenheim Museum called “Genes and Jazz.” “Scientists have always done pictures to explain their ideas, but now we’re discov... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4205935 Sat, 27 Nov 2010 15:00:29 +0100 4205935 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3629636&cid=t_119257_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsynthetic-life-created-the-first-micro-avatar%2F2010.06.03 For the first time in history, a living organism has been manufactured with the help of a computer-generated genome. Dr. Jon LaPook reports on the groundbreaking discovery’s widespread implications. Watch CBS News Videos Online The First Micro-Avatar Craig Venter and his team of scientists recently announced that they had created the first “synthetic cell” — a bacterium controlled by genetic material that they had designed on a computer and concocted from four bottles of chemicals. This is the closest thing to creating life that has happened outside of a science-fiction movie. If it doesn’t fire your imagination, then you should fire your imagination. Basically, what Venter et al did was remove the “brain” (the genetic material that runs the cell) from one species o... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3629636 Thu, 03 Jun 2010 19:51:56 +0100 3629636 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2382479&cid=t_119257_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F10%2F19%2Fborder-control-study-shows-how-proteins-permit-entry-to-a-cell%2F The means by which proteins provide a ‘border control’ service, allowing cells to take up chemicals and substances from their surroundings, whilst keeping others out, is revealed in unprecedented molecular detail for the first time today (16 October) in Science Express. The scientists behind the new study have visualised the structure of a protein called Microbacterium [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2382479 Sun, 19 Oct 2008 01:58:17 +0100 2382479 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2382501&cid=t_119257_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F10%2F03%2Fscientists-identify-a-molecule-that-coordinates-the-movement-of-cells%2F Even cells commute. To get from their birthplace to their work site, they sequentially attach to and detach from an elaborate track of exceptionally strong proteins known as the extracellular matrix. Now, in research to appear in the October 3 issue of Cell, scientists at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Rockefeller University show that [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2382501 Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:02:35 +0100 2382501 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1546744&cid=t_119257_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F320763688%2F This study finds that altered miRNA expression levels are observed in postmortem cerebellar cortex from autism patients, a finding which suggests that dysregulation of miRNAs may contribute to autism spectrum phenotype. The study, Heterogeneous dysregulation of microRNAs across the autism spectrum, was published June 19 in Neurogenetics by researchers from the Neuroscience Research Institute, and Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara. Tags: asd, asperger, autism, autism blog, cell biology, disabilities blog, disability, dna, Family, family blog, Genetics, molecular biology, Neuroscience, Parenting, pdd-nos, rnaShare This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1546744 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:50:28 +0100 1546744 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1181805&cid=t_119257_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F224246095%2F Webb, C.J., Zakian, V.A. (2008). Identification and characterization of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe TER1 telomerase RNA. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, 15(1), 34-42. DOI: 10.1038/nsmb1354 Leonardi, J., Box, J.A., Bunch, J.T., Baumann, P. (2008). TER1, the RNA subunit of fission yeast telomerase. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, 15(1), 26-33. DOI: 10.1038/nsmb1343 Two papers in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology identify the telomerase RNA in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Telomerase is a multi-unit enzyme that has both protein and RNA components. While the protein subunit is highly conserved and identifiable through sequence comparisons of eukaryotes, the RNA subunit has a variable size and sequence making identification through comparative means more difficult. ... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1181805 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:29:01 +0100 1181805 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=683248&cid=t_119257_122_f&fid=35077&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneurophilosophy.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F06%2F18%2Fbiologys-big-bang%2F The current issue of The Economist contains a special feature about RNA. One of the articles summarizes the recent advances that have made molecular biologists realize the significance of RNA; the other discusses Craig Venter’s recent application to patent an artificial life form. In the editorial that accompanies the feature, an analogy is made between biology and physics. The [...] (Source: Neurophilosophy) Neurophilosophy blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=683248 Mon, 18 Jun 2007 07:59:00 +0100 683248 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=676116&cid=t_119257_122_f&fid=35077&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneurophilosophy.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F06%2F09%2Fsea-sponges-have-the-makings-of-a-nervous-system%2F Sea sponges are sedentary organisms that attach themselves to the sea bed and filter nutrients from the water that they force through their porous bodies with flagella. They are the most primitive of all multicellular animals, with just four different types of cells making up partially differentiated tissues in a simply organized body. Because [...] (Source: Neurophilosophy) Neurophilosophy blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=676116 Sat, 09 Jun 2007 13:59:04 +0100 676116 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=676118&cid=t_119257_122_f&fid=35077&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneurophilosophy.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F06%2F07%2Finvisibility-cloak-materials-made-from-reflective-self-assembling-squid-proteins%2F A new study into the biophysical properties of a highly reflective and self-organizing squid protein called reflectin will inform researchers about the process of “bottom-up” synthesis of nanoscale structures and could lead to the development of thin-film coatings for microstructured materials, bringing scientists one step closer to the development of an “invisibility cloak.” The [...] (Source: Neurophilosophy) Neurophilosophy blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=676118 Thu, 07 Jun 2007 22:51:57 +0100 676118 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=676075&cid=t_119257_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F122852491%2F A nice evolutionary analysis of peroxin genes entitled PEX Genes in Fungal Genomes: Common, Rare, or Redundant in the journal “Traffic” from Kiel et al out of the University of Groningen in The Netherlands. Within a species, the genes in the PEX family are not necessarily phylogenetically related to each other, but instead are all named as to how they were discovered in mutant screens, most of which were done in S. cerevisiae. Peroxisomes are interesting because they are necessary for some biochemical reactions (fatty acid metabolism). In filamentous fungi there are additionally specialized peroxisomes called Woronin bodies that plug the septal pore that separates individuals cells in a hyphae. These are specific to filamentous fungi so it is interesting to contrast the number... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=676075 Thu, 07 Jun 2007 07:46:25 +0100 676075 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=651144&cid=t_119257_122_f&fid=35077&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneurophilosophy.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F05%2F31%2Fstorage-of-information-in-cultured-neurons%2F Cultured neurons seem like ants away from their colony: removed from their parent organ, dissociated from their fellow workers and placed into an unnatural environment. But neurons plated onto a culture dish connect to each other, forming simple neural networks that give rise to spontaneous electrical activity. And, in recent years, researchers have developed culture [...] (Source: Neurophilosophy) Neurophilosophy blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=651144 Fri, 01 Jun 2007 21:24:44 +0100 651144 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=639759&cid=t_119257_132_f&fid=35624&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsuicyte.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F05%2F12%2Fmeta-post%2F Discussion and advice on bioinformatics tools or services - i have learned a lot already on what new services are being created out there and what tools other people in the field are using. One excellent example is the description of ’screen scraping’ on Public Rambling. There are many more examples out there. Discussion of recent scientific findings. In particular if these are not just copies of press releases, but contain some discussion on the merits of implications of the finding. A great example, which I enjoyed very much is the post on cell entry of Plasmodium found in The Daily Transcript. ‘Inside stories’ about events/developements I knew about before, but now viewed and commented by somebody who was really involved. A great example from my area of interest ... Suicyte Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=639759 Sat, 12 May 2007 21:18:35 +0100 639759 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=604464&cid=t_119257_122_f&fid=35077&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneurophilosophy.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F05%2F09%2Fmuller-cells-natures-fibre-optics%2F “Schematic representation of mammalian retina structure. Artistic grouping of cells and direction of current flow.” A, layer of rods and cones; B, visual cell body layer; C, outer plexiform layer; D, bipolar cell layer; E, inner plexiform layer; F, layer of ganglion cells; G, optic nerve fibre layer; L, central fossa. Modified from a photograph [...] (Source: Neurophilosophy) Neurophilosophy blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=604464 Wed, 09 May 2007 19:19:10 +0100 604464 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=588356&cid=t_119257_122_f&fid=35077&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mimg.ucla.edu%2Ffaculty%2Fmiller_jh%2Fgene2music%2FAUDIO%2FHuntingtin.mid In his book Gödel, Escher, Bach, Douglas Hofstadter makes an explicit analogy between genes and music: Imagine the mRNA to be like a long piece of magnetic recording tape, and the ribosome [...] (Source: Neurophilosophy) Neurophilosophy blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=588356 Thu, 03 May 2007 17:33:31 +0100 588356 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=580124&cid=t_119257_122_f&fid=35077&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneurophilosophy.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F04%2F30%2Freversal-of-memory-impairments-associated-with-alzheimers%2F Researchers from the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT, with collaborators from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, report that an enriched environment can restore memory in mice with Alzheimer’s-like neurodegeneration. Further, they determined the effects of the enriched environment on gene expression, and showed that the animals’ memory loss could also be reversed [...] (Source: Neurophilosophy) Neurophilosophy blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=580124 Mon, 30 Apr 2007 21:37:55 +0100 580124 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=568288&cid=t_119257_122_f&fid=35077&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneurophilosophy.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F04%2F25%2Fapril-25-1953-watson-crick-publish-dna-structure%2F This unassuming one-page paper, published in Nature exactly 54 years ago, revolutionized the biological sciences. Reference: Watson, J. D. & Crick, F. H. C. (1953). A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid. Nature 171: 737-738. [Full text] (Source: Neurophilosophy) Neurophilosophy blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=568288 Wed, 25 Apr 2007 07:46:01 +0100 568288 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=559947&cid=t_119257_122_f&fid=35077&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneurophilosophy.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F04%2F21%2Fgene-genie-number-5%2F Welcome to the fifth edition of Gene Genie, the carnival devoted to genes, clinical genetics and genomics. Gene Genie is the brainchild of Bertalan, whose aim with the carnival is to cover the entire human genome by the year 2082. That’s no mean feat, as the human genome is believed to contain some 30,000 genes. [...] (Source: Neurophilosophy) Neurophilosophy blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=559947 Sat, 21 Apr 2007 19:33:36 +0100 559947 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=509446&cid=t_119257_122_f&fid=35077&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneurophilosophy.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F03%2F29%2Fusing-light-to-control-neuronal-activity%2F A group of researchers led by Ed Boyden, an assistant professor at the MIT Media Lab and leader of the Neuroengineering and Neuromedia Laboratory, has developed a technique by which pulses of light are used to inhibit the activity of specific individual neurons on a millisecond-by-millisecond timescale. The findings were published last week in the [...] (Source: Neurophilosophy) Neurophilosophy blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=509446 Thu, 29 Mar 2007 22:35:59 +0100 509446