A study has sparked controversy by suggesting that cells made using a popular lab protocol have been misidentified, with potentially serious repercussions for brain research. Critics say the significance of the findings has been overstated.
Studies signal that damage to the endothelium—cells that cover blood vessels like wallpaper—could underpin the thrombosis and inflammation induced by coronavirus infection.
The cholesterol-lowering drugs quell inflammation and reverse endothelial tissue damage, hints that they might curb the body’s excessive immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
The discovery reveals the role of a growth factor and endothelial cells in thymus repair, and could have implications for chemotherapy and radiation patients’ recovery following treatment.