“In their study, the team fed mice a diet that restricted the intake of cysteine and methionine, two sulfur amino acids… Not only did they find that the diet made glioblastoma cells more likely to die from ferroptosis, but they also noted that the cells become more subject to chemotherapy drugs, meaning that they could be delivered in lower doses.” ~ learn more
The liver is regularly bombarded with foreign substances, and is home to antigen-presenting cells that train the immune system to tolerate foreign proteins rather than attacking them. Delivering carefully selected protein fragments to the liver helps put a damper on future allergic reactions. Researchers showed that in 2021. In this most recent study, researchers made two upgrades. First, they used an mRNA payload that coded for the protein instead of…
A lot of experiments with mice measure their running on wheels in their cages. Some had worried that the running was a symptom of captivity rather than a natural behavior, invalidating many experiments. So, between 2009 and 2013 researchers placed running wheels in the wild with cameras trained on them. It turns out mice were naturally into it! Also, so were “shrews, rats, snails, slugs [and] frogs.” ~ learn more
Long-time readers will know that the study’s findings are not news, but its publication is a milestone. “In the Cell paper, Sinclair and his team report that not only can they age mice on an accelerated timeline, but they can also reverse the effects of that aging and restore some of the biological signs of youthfulness to the animals. That reversibility makes a strong case for the fact that the…
“The device works by tackling oxidative stress that impacts on follicles, with the result being thicker and denser hair coverage than what is possible through commonly used treatments.” | learn more
“A new study found that sugar consumption leads to a loss of important immune cells in mice. Sugar appears to tip the microbiome balance away from bacteria that support immune cells in favor of non-beneficial bacteria.” | learn more
“A significant implication of the new findings is that much of what we know about how brains and neurons work may have been learned from brains that researchers unwittingly put into low-power mode. It is extremely common to restrict the amount of food available to mice and other experimental animals for weeks before and during neuroscience studies to motivate them to perform tasks in return for a food reward.” |…
“The effects of the plasmalogen supplement on learning and memory were tested by training mice to use a Morris water maze — a pool of water that contains a platform that serves as a resting area.” | learn more
You might remember that young blood transfusions rejuvenates old animals, and that actually simply diluting the old plasma does the trick. Now researchers have found a new way to help older mice regain memory by swapping CSF fluid. “CSF is a clear liquid that flows in around the hollow cavities of the brain and spinal cord, bathing them in nutrients and clearing away cellular waste.” | learn more
“A new study has shown how targeting an enzyme within fat cells can alter sensitivity to leptin and in turn drive rapid weight loss in obese mice, while also improving overall metabolic health.” | learn more