New possible target for treating major common diseases

There is a large, untapped potential for developing drugs against cancer, fibrosis and cardiovascular diseases by targeting a family of receptors known as Frizzleds, researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden believe. ...

Helping to transport proteins inside the cell

Researchers at the University of Freiburg report a mechanism inside cells that transports proteins to the mitochondria. Their research has now been published in the science journal Cell Reports.

Cryo-EM reveals structure and mechanism of the 5-HT3 receptor

In November 2017, a Titan Krios cryo-electron microscope (cryo-EM) was inaugurated at the ESRF, the European Synchrotron, France. Data collected on this cryo-EM features in a Nature publication describing the activation cycle ...

How microvilli form

The gut is lined by cells containing brush borders, which are composed of arrays of microvillar protrusions that help in nutrient absorption and provide a barrier against pathogens and toxins. Microbes such as E. coli can ...

A step ahead in pharmaceutical research

Hormones and other neurotransmitters, but also drugs, act upon receptors. "Their active substances bind to the receptors and modify the three-dimensional receptor arrangement regulating the downstream signal pathways," says ...

Scientists alter membrane proteins to make them easier to study

About 30 percent of the proteins encoded by the human genome are membrane proteins—proteins that span the cell membrane so they can facilitate communication between cells and their environment. These molecules are critical ...

Drug makes rats less likely to imbibe alcohol

Alcohol use disorders can have devastating effects on a person's health, relationships and finances. Yet for some, the feeling they get when taking a drink temporarily outweighs these other concerns. Now, researchers have ...

Computer simulation of receptors reveals a new ligand-binding site

Using a computer simulation of an important receptor, EPFL scientists have discovered a novel binding site for natural ligands and drugs. The new site might be present on other receptors and can be exploited in novel treatments ...

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