The Literature

Using a transgenic fruit fly model, researchers demonstrate how epithelial barriers are maintained in living organisms despite high levels of cell turnover and death.

Mice have neurons that connect to both eyes but only propagate the signal from one or the other, simplifying the information sent to the cerebral cortex.

Neurons in the hippocampus store information on the timing of experiences in addition to their content, helping to mediate sequential memory recall, a new study shows.

Researchers identify a role for PIEZO1 in tendon adaptation, and show that people with certain versions of the Piezo1 gene tend to be better jumpers.

Genes associated with preterm birth and protecting the fetus from the mother’s immune system appear to be regulated by HAND2.

Researchers propose a mechanism by which a protein produced in the placenta may trigger blood vessel growth and enlarge fat cells.

Scientists show that an influx of noradrenaline can halt immune cells in mice.

A study finds that fast-growing species are stymied by narrow gaps, while slower-growing species can pass through and continue extending.

As they close in for the kill, the flying mammals use quieter echolocation to focus on the chase.

Whether the galls that aphids make on witch hazel leaves are red or green is associated with a gene expressed in the insects’ salivary glands.

Imaged in real time in living people, immune cells at the surface of the retina could serve as biomarkers to detect retinal and possibly neurological diseases and track their progression.

The thicker the flower petals’ cuticle, the more fragrance compounds the plant releases, according to a recent study.

The recently discovered long noncoding RNAs seem to boost the production of specific proteins in the cell by interacting with RNA-binding proteins, researchers find.

A pathway involved in the adaptive immune system, a relative newcomer in the world of pathogen defense, may have a more ancient role in protecting cells from invading viruses.

Researchers disentangle complex connections among vegetation, herbivores, and dung in the South African savanna.

Long-lived species decrease their reproduction more than short-lived species in response to lower-than-normal precipitation, and thereby gain a survival advantage, a study finds.

The same toxin targets different receptors in prey and conspecifics to deliver either a lethal or non-lethal blow.

After weeks of training, the muscles of two macaques exhibited greater responses to stimulation of the reticulospinal tract in the brain stem than they had before, suggesting that strengthening the neural pathway is key to getting stronger. 

A study in two macaques reveals the importance of increasing connectivity between muscles and the reticulospinal tract that runs from the brain stem down the spinal cord.