Related topics: cells · protein · lipid · molecules · cancer cells

Supercomputer simulation reveals new mechanism for membrane fusion

An intricate simulation performed by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers using one of the world's most powerful supercomputers sheds new light on how proteins called SNAREs cause biological membranes to fuse.

The enemy within: How pathogens spread unrecognized in the body

Some pathogens hide inside human cells to enhance their survival. Researchers at the University of Basel, have uncovered a unique tactic certain bacteria use to spread in the body without being detected by the immune system. ...

With the flick of a switch: Shaping cells with light

Imagine switching on a light and being able to understand and control the inner dynamics of a cell. This is what the Dimova group has achieved: by shining lights of different colors on replicates of cells, they altered the ...

New polymers show interaction with cells

A new development in biomedical research could open the door to a variety of new applications: Scientists at the University of Bayreuth have found that certain polymers, called polyanions, can penetrate cells in a unique ...

Scientists identify novel lysosome fission factor

Lysosomes are centers for degradation, recycling, and signaling of cellular materials that are crucial for maintaining cellular homeostasis, development, and aging. To meet various physiological demands, lysosomes continuously ...

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Cell membrane

The cell membrane (also called the plasma membrane or plasmalemma) is the biological membrane separating the interior of a cell from the outside environment.

It is a semipermeable lipid bilayer found in all cells. It contains a wide variety of biological molecules, primarily proteins and lipids, which are involved in a vast array of cellular processes such as cell adhesion, ion channel conductance and cell signaling. The plasma membrane also serves as the attachment point for both the intracellular cytoskeleton and, if present, the extracellular cell wall.

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