Cells, as physical systems, are discrete, membrane-bound units of biological organization that maintain non-equilibrium thermodynamic states through regulated exchanges of matter and energy with their environment. They comprise structurally organized macromolecular assemblies—primarily lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates—partitioned into distinct compartments (e.g., cytosol, organelles) that support specialized biochemical networks. These systems exhibit emergent properties such as signal processing, self-replication, and adaptive response, governed by gene expression programs and biophysical constraints. At multiple scales, cells function as fundamental units of structure and function in organisms, integrating mechanical, chemical, and electrical processes within a dynamically regulated spatial architecture.
Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have discovered that cancer cells do not simply push through surrounding tissues to spread, but instead actively grip onto protective tissue barriers and pull them ...
Cell & Microbiology
May 12, 2026
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Until now, studying the genetic processes in cells required destroying them—making it impossible to observe these processes over extended periods of time. A team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Helmholtz ...
Cell & Microbiology
May 10, 2026
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Cell walls are a crucial structure of plant life, protecting cells from damage, giving plants shape, and containing energy-rich nutrients. And yet the process of how the walls begin to form remains mysterious.
Plants & Animals
May 4, 2026
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22
Cell division is one of the most fundamental and complex processes underpinning life. In human cells, thousands of molecules coordinate with one another in highly precise steps, all within a fraction of a second. But things ...
Cell & Microbiology
May 1, 2026
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51
A Moffitt Cancer Center researcher has introduced a new model that addresses one of biology's most fundamental questions: How does genetic information keep living systems organized and therefore alive?
Cell & Microbiology
May 1, 2026
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27
The development of an embryo is one of the most fundamental processes in biology. Early in this process, it is determined which cells will give rise to which tissues—controlled by epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation. ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 29, 2026
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10
Scientists have discovered how cells decide when to respond to physical forces, potentially opening new avenues for tackling diseases such as cancer and fibrosis.
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 29, 2026
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23
In tissue engineering, the tiniest bit of improper force can harm a living culture. Spheroids—3D clumps of cells—can be used to model complex human tissues, because they can re-create specific cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 28, 2026
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11
Our cells adjust to ever-changing conditions while preserving internal states necessary for survival, but exactly how they achieve both adaptability and stability remains unclear. For the first time, researchers have used ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 27, 2026
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20
Scientists at EPFL have developed CenSpark, a fluorescent probe that makes centrioles and cilia visible inside living cells, helping researchers study cell division, development, and immunity like never before.
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 25, 2026
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