News tagged with membrane
Speeding up drug discovery with rapid 3-D mapping of proteins
A new method for rapidly solving the three-dimensional structures of a special group of proteins, known as integral membrane proteins, may speed drug discovery by providing scientists with precise targets ...
May 30, 2012 |
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A cell's first steps: Building a model to explain how cells grow
A collaboration between Lehigh University physicists and University of Miami biologists addresses an important fundamental question in basic cell biology: How do living cells figure out when and where to grow?
May 18, 2012 |
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'Copper pump's' potential benefit in cancer treatment
(Phys.org) -- A team of University of California, San Diego researchers has made new discoveries about a copper-transporting protein in the membranes of human cells that drug-discovery scientists can co-opt ...
May 17, 2012 |
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Research reveals novel transport mechanism for large ribonucleoproteins
The movement of genetic materials, such as RNA and ribosomes, from the nucleus to the cytoplasm is a critical component in a cell's ability to make the proteins necessary for essential biological functions. Until now, it ...
May 10, 2012 |
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Microfluidics: Creating chaos
A quiet revolution is taking place in the fields of biology and chemistry. Microfluidic devices, which allow fluid manipulation in micro-scale channels, are slowly but surely finding their place on the lab ...
May 10, 2012 |
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Cell membrane is patterned like a patchwork quilt
(Phys.org) -- As the interface between the cell and its environment, the cell membrane, which consists of fats and proteins, fulfils a variety of vital functions. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute of ...
May 05, 2012 |
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Invention could help pharmaceutical industry save money
Two Michigan State University researchers have invented a protein purifier that could help pharmaceutical companies save time and money.
May 01, 2012 |
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Unusual protein helps regulate key cell communication pathway
Charged atoms, or ions, move through tiny pores, or channels, embedded in cell membranes, generating the electrical signals that allow cells to communicate with one another. In new research, scientists have ...
Apr 23, 2012 |
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Study resolves debate on human cell shut-down process
Researchers at the University of Liverpool have resolved the debate over the mechanisms involved in the shut-down process during cell division in the body.
Apr 12, 2012 |
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Bioengineers develop artificial chip for testing how drugs interact with ion channels
(Phys.org) -- Ion channels, proteins embedded in cell membranes, are central to many of the human body's physiological processes, including cardiac activity. For this reason, they are also important targets for cardiac drugs. ...
Apr 10, 2012 |
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Quantum dots provide quantitative profile of pancreatic cancer biomarkers on single cells
(Phys.org) -- With the aid of a novel set of lipid-coated, targeted quantum dots, researchers at Johns Hopkins University have developed a method for quantifying multiple specific biomarkers on the surfaces of individual ...
Nanotechnology / Bio & Medicine
Apr 06, 2012 |
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New method offers control of strain on graphene membranes
(PhysOrg.com) -- Graphene could be the superhero of materials – it’s light, strong and conducts heat and electricity effectively, which makes it a great material for potential use in all kinds of ...
Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials
Apr 02, 2012 |
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Researchers present a shiny new tool for imaging biomolecules
At the heart of the immune system that protects our bodies from disease and foreign invaders is a vast and complex communications network involving millions of cells, sending and receiving chemical signals ...
Mar 23, 2012 |
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Spectroscopic evidence for the unusual handedness of a mammalian lipid may advance our understanding of evolution
Phospholipids are the main constituents of the cellular membranes in all organisms, ranging from single-celled archaea to highly complex plants and mammals. According to conventional wisdom, the chemical backbone ...
Mar 23, 2012 |
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Cell protein interactions favor fats
For cells to signal each other to carry out their vital work, could the cell membrane's lipids -- or fats -- play a role in buttering-up the process? A research group led by University of Illinois at Chicago chemistry professor ...
Mar 22, 2012 |
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Membrane
A membrane is a layer of material which serves as a selective barrier between two phases and remains impermeable to specific particles, molecules, or substances when exposed to the action of a driving force. Some components are allowed passage by the membrane into a permeate stream, whereas others are retained by it and accumulate in the retentate stream.
Membranes can be of various thickness, with homogeneous or heterogeneous structure. Membrane can also be classified according to their pore diameter. According to IUPAC, there are three different types of pore size classifications: microporous (dp < 2nm), mesoporous (2nm < dp < 50nm) and macroporous (dp > 50nm). Membranes can be neutral or charged, and particles transport can be active or passive. The latter can be facilitated by pressure, concentration, chemical or electrical gradients of the membrane process. Membranes can be generally classified into three groups: inorganic, polymeric or biological membranes. These three types of membranes differ significantly in their structure and functionality.
For more information about Membrane, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
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