Using bioreactors to generate seafood or meat is horrific or exciting, depending on your point of view. As with genetically modified food, attitudes differ markedly between countries.
Chemokines are promising modalities in the treatment of disease. These small signaling proteins, primarily known for their role in directing the movement of immune cells, are now being explored for their therapeutic potential in a range of conditions, from cancer to chronic inflammatory diseases.
Creating a chemokine or growth factor concentration gradient is a crucial lab technique for studying cell migration, particularly in neuroscience, immunology and cancer research. Sustained release growth factors can simplify chemotaxis studies.
RADA16, the pioneer in the field of self-assembling peptide hydrogels, is inflexible (figuratively at least) and can be difficult to use. PeptiGel is winning out with clever refinement, bespoke formulation and a ready-to-use format.
Optimizing the formulation of drugs is critical to increase their stability and sustain bioavailability. Similarly, taking more care to formulate growth factors can transform their utility too.
GFOGER is a collagen sequence that primarily binds to specific integrins which not only anchor cells to the matrix but also influence cell behaviour, such as proliferation, migration, and differentiation.
The genomic instability of iPSCs is well documented. What is the impact of these genetic alterations on downstream applications and what can we do to mitigate their impact?
As well as causing the proliferation of cells, growth factors can promote differentiation and even the death of cells. For example, the differentiation of neuronal progenitor cells to functional neuronal cells is regulated by so-called neurotrophic growth factors. As with the proliferative growth factors, neurotrophic growth factors initiate a complex cascade of events by binding to receptor proteins that span the cell surface:
Growth factors are crucial proteins in regulating various cellular processes, including differentiation and cell division. Simulation of cell division is triggered when particular growth factors bind cell receptors. This triggers a cascade of events through a series of steps that result in mitosis and cell division.
During strenuous exercise, anaerobic conditions develop in our muscles as cells rapidly use oxygen. Muscle cells switch to an alternative metabolic pathway that releases lactic acid to cope with reduced oxygen levels. When lactic acid builds up, it can cause cramps. Similarly, media depth can dramatically impact oxygen levels in cell culture. Standardizing this variable, or agitation may help to improve data reproducibility and relevance in cell culture.
