Cells

New research has discovered a distinct circadian mechanism within heart cells that influences how cardiac activity shifts across 24-hour periods. The findings offer clues to why shift workers are at higher risk of heart problems.

How life first emerged from non-living matter is one of the most enduring mysteries of science. In a new study, scientists have created self-replicating protocells in the lab, which could represent the “missing link” between chemistry and biology.

Paleontologists have isolated cartilage cells from an exceptionally well-preserved dinosaur fossil. They still contain traces of biomolecules, and the scientists were even able to tell which stage of the natural cycle specific cells were in at death.

It may sound like the start of a Frankenstein story, but scientists from New York University (NYU) and the University of Chicago have developed artificial cells made of non-biological matter that mimic the basic functions of living ones.

CAR T cell immunotherapy is a promising treatment for cancer, but it can trigger dangerous side effects. A new study precisely targets cancer by engineering CAR T cells to activate at higher temperatures, then heating tumors with ultrasound.

Researchers have discovered a population of natural barometers that monitor and maintain our blood pressure. The cellular sensors have for decades been presumed to be located in a certain type of cell in the kidney, but have only now been detected.

Scientists have made a promising discovery relating to MS, demonstrating how neutralizing a specific protein can selectively temper the inflammation that drives the disease, which makes it an ideal target in the ongoing pursuit of a cure.

Cancer becomes far more dangerous when it spreads through the body, known as metastasis. A newly identified protein stops cells getting into the bloodstream – and tumor cells can ignore it, which may reveal a new drug target for cancer treatment.

It’s hard to overstate the incredible influence our gut microbiome has on our health. Now, researchers have found that certain metabolites from intestinal bacteria could boost the cancer-killing effect of immunotherapy.

Our brains are extremely fast at recognizing the faces of people important to us. Now, a new study has identified a previously unknown population of brain cells that may be hybrids of sensory and memory neurons, which enable this quick recall.

Immunotherapy is a promising avenue for cancer treatment, but it has trouble against solid tumors without triggering major side effects. Now, researchers have developed a new form of the treatment that supercharges a different type of immune cell.

Researchers have demonstrated a quantum microscope that can break through a fundamental barrier faced by regular microscopes and see tiny structures that are normally invisible. The device “squeezes” light to snap images with far greater clarity.