Metabolism News and Research

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Metabolism is the means by which the body derives energy and synthesizes the other molecules it needs from the fats, carbohydrates and proteins we eat as food, by enzymatic reactions helped by minerals and vitamins.

Misfolded Proteins in Mitochondria Linked to Type 2 Diabetes

Aging-related diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disorders and type 2 diabetes, are associated with defects in protein synthesis and folding.

23 Jul 2025

New Method Enables Precise Fatty Acid Delivery Without Albumin

Fatty acids (FAs) are essential to cell membrane formation, energy storage, and lipid metabolism. Yet, delivering them for research remains a challenge due to their insolubility in water and the reliance on albumin to facilitate transport.

23 Jul 2025

Brain Cells Show Unexpected Self-Sufficiency in Energy Use

A new Yale study has revealed that neurons - the energy-hungry cells that connect and direct activity in the brain - are equipped with "backup batteries" that kick in to keep the brain running during periods of metabolic stress.

18 Jul 2025

Simple Models Reveal Soil’s Complex Microbial Conversations

Just like any living organism, the soil has its own metabolism. Plants, worms, insects, and most importantly, microorganisms in the soil, break down organic matter, consume and generate nutrients, and process other materials to give the soil a life of its own.

18 Jul 2025

Molecular Chatter Between Cells Drives Tumor Growth and Immune Suppression

A Ludwig Cancer Research study has identified a complex chain of molecular chatter by which cancer cells, exploiting ordinary metabolic processes, program one set of noncancerous cells to manipulate another set of such cells to support their growth and survival.

18 Jul 2025

Gut Bacteria Adapt to Local Diets Offering Hope for Personalized Probiotics

Probiotics are emerging tools used by neonatal intensive care units to promote healthy outcomes and prevent intestinal diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis.

18 Jul 2025

Synthetic Cells Offer New Clues About the Origins of Life

At some point during the evolution of life on Earth, inorganic matter became organic, nonliving matter became living. How this happened is one of humankind's greatest mysteries.

18 Jul 2025

New Metabolic Map Reveals How Blood Stem Cells Age and Become Diseased

Researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg and ETH Zürich have created the first integrated map detailing the metabolic and molecular changes in human blood stem cells as they age, specialize, or turn cancerous.

16 Jul 2025

New Computational Tool Enhances Gene Discovery in Heart and Metabolic Diseases

Genetic changes can signal evidence of disease, but pinpointing which genes and what's changed can be difficult.

16 Jul 2025

UAB Identifies Six Novel Subsets, Reshaping Immune Knowledge

The study highlights T-bet's importance in memory B cells, essential for rapid antibody production and sustained immune defense against influenza.

14 Jul 2025

Obesity-Related Cognitive Deficits Improved Through Astrocyte Modulation

Fatty diets and obesity affect the structure and function of astrocytes, the star-shaped brain cells located in the striatum, a brain region involved in the perception of pleasure generated by food consumption.

8 Jul 2025

Reinvigorating T Cells Offers Hope for More Effective Cancer Immunotherapy

CD8⁺ T cells are the immune system's frontline warriors, charged with detecting and eliminating cancer cells. But in the hostile and chronic environment of tumors, these cells often falter.

8 Jul 2025

New AI Tool Illuminates Bacterial Impact on Body Chemistry

Gut bacteria are well-known for playing an important role in a variety of health issues. However, their quantity and variety are immense, as are the ways in which they interact with the body’s chemistry and with one another.

7 Jul 2025

Uncovering the Gut Virome's Role in Health and Disease

The human gut is home to trillions of microbes, yet scientific understanding has largely focused on bacteria, leaving the virome—the community of viruses—relatively uncharted.

4 Jul 2025

Animal-Free 3D Fat-Immune Cell Model to Study Inflammation

Researchers developed a human adipocyte-macrophage co-culture model in GG hydrogels to study adipose tissue inflammation and test anti-inflammatory strategies.

3 Jul 2025

Chromosome Imbalance Disrupts Mitochondria Through Protein Aggregates

It has been known for several years that abnormal chromosome numbers lead to protein imbalances in the affected cells. Researchers at RPTU have now investigated the detailed effects of such imbalances.

30 Jun 2025

Yeast Model Offers Insight Into Proteasome and Mitochondria Interplay

A study by the Center for Redox Processes in Biomedicine (Redoxoma) led by Marilene Demasi from the Butantan Institute (São Paulo, Brazil) presents a valuable new experimental model for investigating the interaction between the proteasome and mitochondrial function.

30 Jun 2025

Reactivating a Genetic Switch Restores Ear Regeneration in Mice

By flipping an evolutionarily disabled genetic switch involved in Vitamin A metabolism, researchers have enabled ear tissue regeneration in mice. Unlike some animals such as fish and salamanders, mammals have limited capacity to regenerate damaged tissues or organs fully.

27 Jun 2025

LMU Study Reveals How Life Could Begin Without Cell Membranes

LMU researchers have demonstrated a possible mechanism for metabolic processes without cell membranes in water-filled pores.

27 Jun 2025

Genetically Similar Bacteria Show Unexpected Diversity in Shape and Behavior

Genetically similar bacteria can differ in shape and behavior, even in lab settings. A recent study shows that this variability impacts microbial fitness, virulence, and our understanding of gut microbiota.

26 Jun 2025