Tag Archives: cells

Differences in human, mouse brain cells have important implications for disease research

A UCLA-led study comparing brain cells known as astrocytes in humans and mice found that mouse astrocytes are more resilient to oxidative stress, a damaging imbalance that is a mechanism behind many neurological disorders. A lack of oxygen triggers molecular repair mechanisms in these mouse astrocytes but not in human astrocytes. In contrast, inflammation activates… Read More »

Force transmission between cells orchestrates collective cellular motion

How do the billions of cells communicate in order to perform tasks? The cells exert force on their environment through movement — and in doing so, they communicate. They work as a group in order to infiltrate their environment, perform wound healing and the like. They sense the stiffness or softness of their surroundings and… Read More »

Scientists find evidence that novel coronavirus infects the mouth’s cells

An international team of scientists has found evidence that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, infects cells in the mouth. While it’s well known that the upper airways and lungs are primary sites of SARS-CoV-2 infection, there are clues the virus can infect cells in other parts of the body, such as the digestive system,… Read More »

Bee Venom Could Kill Some Tumor Cells

European honeybees (Apis mellifera) are a source of invaluable medicinal substances, including honey, propolis and venom, which humans have used medicinally for millennia.1 The searing pain that accompanies a bee sting is due to bee venom excreted from the bee’s stinger and into the target, such as your finger. While bee venom contains a complex… Read More »