Mini synthetic organism instead of test animals

In medical research, animal-based experiments have thus far been a necessary evil. Fraunhofer researchers have developed a highly promising alternative, however: They are developing a mini-organism inside a chip. This way, ...

Mitochondrial cooperatives

Mitochondria, the organelles that supply the cell with energy, are highly dynamic and can link up to form complex tubular networks. A new study shows that this response can transiently compensate for a shortfall in energy ...

Biochemists discover 'parking position' of fat-burning enzymes

Fat is a curse and a blessing at the same time. While we would rather not have any fat deposits on our body, especially in summer, accumulated fats in plants are desirable as they make them especially nutritious. Biochemists ...

Cats and humans suffer from similar forms of epilepsy

Epilepsy arises when the brain is temporarily swamped by uncoordinated signals from nerve cells.  Research at the Vetmeduni Vienna has now uncovered a cause of a particular type of epilepsy in cats.  Surprisingly, an incorrectly ...

Are bacteria making you hungry?

Over the last half decade, it has become increasingly clear that the normal gastrointestinal (GI) bacteria play a variety of very important roles in the biology of human and animals. Now Vic Norris of the University of Rouen, ...

Fitness for toad sperm: The secret is to mate frequently

An increasing number of men suffer from fertility problems, especially in western society. The general belief is that many problems may be related to stress but it is possible that some of them may arise because men simply ...

Kittens: Their microbiomes are what they eat

For animals as well as people, diet affects what grows in the gut. The gut microbial colonies, also known as the gut microbiome, begin to form at birth. Their composition affects how the immune system develops and is linked ...

The minimal microbe

There are approximately one trillion quintillion microbial cells on this planet. That's more than the number of stars in the known universe! 

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