Telomeres on human chromosomes change together with brain structure

27-Sep-2019

Telomeres are the protective caps of our chromosomes and play a central role in the ageing process. Shorter telomeres are associated with chronic diseases and high stress levels can contribute to their shortening. A new study now shows that if telomeres change in their length, that change is also ...

more

With elegant appendages, the bacteria increase their surface area and thus improve their food intake

27-Sep-2019

For the first time, scientists in Bremen were able to observe bacteria forming pearl chains that protrude from the cell surface. These pearl chains serve to better absorb and store substances from the environment. Bacteria have no mouth. They eat by absorbing substances from their environment ...

more

25-Sep-2019

For applications such as light-emitting diodes or solar cells, organic materials are nowadays in the focus of research. These organic molecules could be a promising alternative to currently used semiconductors such as silicon or germanium and are used in OLED displays. A major problem is that in ...

more

Liquid-like tissue behavior is a key principle for the formation of structures in biological systems

17-Sep-2019

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam have shown that growing bone tissue behaves like a viscous liquid on long time scales, thereby accepting forms with minimal surface area. This cell behavior determines the shape of the tissue when it grows on a ...

more

Tiny diamonds can cross the blood-brain barrier and be used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in the brain

03-Sep-2019

The recording of images of the human brain and its therapy in neurodegenerative diseases is still a major challenge in current medical research. The so-called blood-brain barrier, a kind of filter system of the body between the blood system and the central nervous system, constrains the supply of ...

more

29-Aug-2019

Water electrolysis could provide high-quality hydrogen gas that can be used in fuel cells directly. However, since noble metals, such as platinum and iridium, are currently needed to initiate such a reaction, the cost is very high. "Obviously, catalysts that are low-cost with high-activity are ...

more

22-Aug-2019

Microscopy suggests that the recently discovered microbe Methanoliparia produces methane from crude oil all by themselves. The tiny organisms cling to oil droplets and perform a great feat: As a single organism, they may produce methane from oil by a process called alkane disproportionation. ...

more

Scientists show new mechanism of self-organization of living matter

08-Jul-2019

Cells and microorganisms produce and consume all sorts of chemicals, from nutrients to signaling molecules. The same happens at the nanoscale inside cells themselves, where enzymes catalyze the production and consumption of the chemicals needed for life. In new work published in Physical Review ...

more

First and new realistic 3D model of the liver lobule since the year 1949

05-Jul-2019

The currently used simplified model of mammalian liver tissue can only show in a limited way how liver tissue is structured and formed. Almost 70 years later, researchers at the Max Planck Institutes of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics as well as for the Physics of Complex Systems together ...

more

03-Jul-2019

If zebrafish larvae used the internet, they might soon be able to download a map of their entire brain. "We're not at that point yet", explains Michael Kunst from the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology. "Nevertheless, our first atlas detailing over 2,000 neurons is now available online." As ...

more