A green dye marks lipocartilage cells from the ear of a rat.Credit: Plikus lab, University of California, Irvine The ear and the nose are squishy and stretchy thanks in part to ‘bubble wrap’ cells that provide extra cushioning and structural support to various body parts, a wide-ranging study1 shows. These ‘lipocartilage’ cells — which are […]
RESEARCH BRIEFINGS 01 January 2025 Metabolic-dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is defined by lipid accumulation and inflammation, and makes liver cells enter a tumour-suppressive state called senescence while increasing cancer risk. Investigation of this paradox reveals that MASH-inducing diets trigger senescence by causing DNA damage. However, prolonged metabolic stress allows once-senescent liver cells to start dividing and […]
RESEARCH BRIEFINGS 01 January 2025 During pregnancy, several organs are rewired to support the health of the mother and the offspring. A molecular signalling pathway called RANK–RANKL drives the expansion of the layer that lines the inside of the intestine during pregnancy and lactation. This tissue remodelling process has a key role in mammalian life […]
Andrew Cassy had spent his working life in a telecommunications research department until a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease in 2010 pushed him into early retirement. Curious about his illness, which he came to think of as an engineering problem, he decided to volunteer for clinical trials. “I had time, something of value that I could […]
Nature, Published online: 12 December 2024; doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08428-3 Author Correction: HRG-9 homologues regulate haem trafficking from haem-enriched compartments
Skin can generate antibodies, independent of the rest of the immune system.Credit: kazuma seki/Getty The skin — once thought to be a mainly passive barrier — can produce its own antibodies that fight off infections, a pair of studies reports in Nature this week1,2. The findings could pave the way for the development of needle-free […]
Human hairs sprout from follicles, which contain stem cells that are sensitive to dietary changes (artificially coloured).Credit: Dr Keith Wheeler/SPL A popular weight-loss regimen stunts hair growth, data collected from mice and humans suggest1. The study’s findings show that intermittent fasting, which involves short bouts of food deprivation, triggers a stress response that can inhibit […]
NEWS AND VIEWS 04 December 2024 During some types of cell death, cells rupture to release molecules that cause inflammation. This must happen at the right time and place to restore health. How is the protein NINJ1 regulated so that cells break open only when they die?
Nature, Published online: 29 November 2024; doi:10.1038/d41586-024-03886-1 A bank of cells from people more than 100 years old gives scientists a new resource for studying longevity.
Three people with severely impaired vision who received stem-cell transplants have experienced substantial improvements in their sight that have persisted for more than a year. A fourth person with severely impaired vision also experienced gains in their sight, but they did not last. The four are the first to receive transplants made from reprogrammed stem […]
