Cholesterol is an essential lipid that plays a critical role in hormone production, digestion, and immune function. The ability to maintain a balanced level of cholesterol — known as cholesterol homeostasis — can influence tumor growth, progression, and immune response. High cholesterol levels have...
Researchers from the University of Illinois have identified an RNA binding protein called MOV10 as a critical factor in memory formation and learning. Their findings, published this month in BMC Biology, will...
Researchers from the University of Illinois have identified a key process coordinating liver maturation and polyploidization, a state in which cells carry more than two sets of chromosomes. Their findings, published in Genes and Development,...
Researchers from the University of Illinois have reported complementary discoveries that will improve scientists’ understanding of immune systems in bacteria and equip clinicians with more effective options for treating antibiotic-resistant infections.Antibiotic-resistant bacteria known as...
The human body is a stressful place for bacteria to live. They must defend against many chemical and physical stressors, in addition to the immune system. One major physical stressor is fluid flow, which constantly circulates in the bloodstream, urinary tract, and lungs. Research has...
Researchers from the University of Illinois have discovered a key factor responsible for facilitating signal transduction in Cys-loop receptors, providing insight into a longstanding question in the field of ion-channel physiology and contributing to rational drug design. Their findings appear in...
A new mouse model mimicking the liver symptoms of myotonic dystrophy type 1 — the most prevalent form of adult-onset muscular dystrophy — provides insight into why patients develop fatty liver disease and display hypersensitivity to medications, making treatment difficult. The new model opens...
The human gut is a diverse and densely populated environment filled with bacteria and other microbes in fierce competition for resources. One major colonizer in the human colon is Bacteroides, a genus of bacteria that can break down a wide variety of complex carbohydrates indigestible by...
Investigators from the University of Illinois have created a whole-genome map that charts the occupancies of RNA polymerase enzymes in humans, discovering unexpected patterns in the process. Their findings appear in ...
Preclinical research is an important step of the drug and treatment development process that ensures the safety of a potential treatment modality for human testing. But until recently, most preclinical research studies in animals were only conducted on one sex: typically, male. This tendency to...
