Lipids News and Research

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Lipids are a broad group of naturally-occurring molecules which includes fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E and K), monoglycerides, diglycerides, phospholipids, and others. The main biological functions of lipids include energy storage, as structural components of cell membranes, and as important signaling molecules.

How the Disturbed Recycling Chain of Endoplasmic Reticulum Causes Neurodegenerative Diseases

Our cells are crisscrossed by a system of membrane tubes and pockets called the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). It is crucial for the production of biomolecules and is continuously built up and degraded.

29 May 2023

New Insight Into Cellular Waste Disposal Process

To prevent our body's cells from overflowing with garbage and to keep them healthy, the waste inside them is constantly being disposed of.

25 May 2023

AI Used to Create 3D Model of 'Postal Workers' in Human Cells

University of Queensland researchers have used artificial intelligence to build a 3D map of key cell components to better understand dementia and infectious diseases including COVID-19.

12 May 2023

High-Throughput Technique Observes Differences in Hard and Non-Hard Seeds

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), also known as the “King of Grass,” is a legume cultivated in various parts of the world for animal feed. It is highly valued in the feed business because of its high protein content and biomass output.

8 May 2023

Remodeling in the Cell Membrane Alters Enzyme Activity Involved in Alzheimer’s

Adding long-chain fatty acids can thicken cell membranes and alter the activity of a key enzyme, as LMU scientists have demonstrated in cell cultures.

5 May 2023

Capturing Viruses in a Lipid Trap

Viruses like influenza A and Ebola invade human cells in a number of steps. In an interdisciplinary approach, research teams from Heidelberg University and Heidelberg University Hospital investigated the final stages of viral penetration using electron tomography and computer simulations.

26 Apr 2023

Understanding the Functioning of Opioid Receptors at Unprecedented Spatial Resolution

The human body naturally produces opioid-like substances, such as endorphins, which block the perception of pain and increase the feeling of well-being.

20 Apr 2023

Microalgae Grown in the Lab for Producing Biofuel

A group of researchers at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil have grown microalgae under controlled conditions in a laboratory in order to use their metabolites, especially lipids, with the prime purpose of producing biofuel.

20 Apr 2023

A Novel Mechanism Identified for Lower Energy Expenditure After Weight-Loss

Numerous studies have revealed that weight loss in obese people leads to a reduction in whole-body energy expenditure.

19 Apr 2023

Lab-Grown Fat Could Give a More Realistic Texture and Flavor to Cultured Meat Grown from Cells

Researchers at Tufts University have successfully bulk-produced fat tissue in the lab that has a similar texture and make-up to fat tissue naturally occurring in animals.

6 Apr 2023

Researchers Explain How a Single Mutation Causes Ataxia

Worldwide, only a handful of patients are known to suffer from episodic ataxia type 6, a neurological disease that causes transient loss of muscle control.

4 Apr 2023

Designing a Lipid Nanoparticle to Safely Deliver mRNA to the Pancreas

Therapeutics that use mRNA-;like some of the COVID-19 vaccines-;have enormous potential for the prevention and treatment of many diseases.

4 Apr 2023

New nanoparticles can deliver mRNA encoding CRISPR/Cas9 components to the lungs

Engineers at MIT and the University of Massachusetts Medical School have designed a new type of nanoparticle that can be administered to the lungs, where it can deliver messenger RNA encoding useful proteins.

31 Mar 2023

Study identifies a novel rare mutation in gene linked to Harlequin Ichthyosis

Harlequin ichthyosis (HI) is a severe genetic skin disorder characterized by thick white, brown, or dark brown patches on the skin covering a newborn's entire body. HI has a low incidence of 1 per 300,000 live births but comes with the highest mortality rate among skin conditions. It is caused by a mutation in the ABCA12 gene, which codes for a protein involved in transporting lipids necessary for the formation of the skin barrier. Such protein shortage leads to a weaker epidermal barrier.

9 Mar 2023

Small group of airway neurons plays a key role in alerting the brain about infection

A new study led by researchers at Harvard Medical School illuminates how the brain becomes aware that there is an infection in the body.

9 Mar 2023

Researchers show how the production of different macromolecules peaks at different times

Textbooks will tell you that in dividing cells, the production of new DNA peaks during the S-phase, while production of other macromolecules, such as proteins, lipids, and polysaccharides, continues at more or less the same level.

28 Feb 2023

Scientists receive $2.5 million NIH grant to define the role of lipid droplets in muscle stem cell function

A team of Purdue University scientists led by Shihuan Kuang has received a $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to define the role of lipid droplets in muscle stem cell function, a study with implications in both humans and livestock.

24 Feb 2023

New insights into genetics of sexually dimorphic fat distribution in humans

Obesity causes many health problems and worsens several chronic illnesses, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, however, some obese people are more susceptible to complications than others.

17 Feb 2023

Synthetic biosensor could lead to better understanding of cell biology

A synthetic biosensor that mimics properties found in cell membranes and provides an electronic readout of activity could lead to a better understanding of cell biology, development of new drugs, and the creation of sensory organs on a chip capable of detecting chemicals, similar to how noses and tongues work.

8 Feb 2023

Antibody that blocks VEGF-B could be a potential therapeutic option for fatty liver disease

There is currently no drug for treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which affects many people with type 2 diabetes and which can result in other serious liver diseases.

6 Feb 2023