Category Biology/Biotechnology

Macrophages initiate and direct other immune responses

A research team describes ‘tuning’ macrophages from ones that repair wounds (and contribute to tumor growth) to ones that sterilize wounds (and contribute to immune system’s attack of tumor tissue).

The immune system’s macrophages pick a life path. Cancers encourage macrophages to pick the path of wound-repair, making what are called “M2” or “repair-type” macrophages. Cancers use these M2 macrophages to promote their own growth. Now researchers can successfully flip M2 macrophages into their wound-sterilizing cousins, called “M1” or “kill-type” macrophages, which, contrary to promoting the growth of new tissue, may aid the immune system in clearing the body of cancer.

“The basic message we’re trying to convey is that turning those M2 m...

Clearance of senescent cells prolongs healthspan

Researchers have shown senescent cells – cells that no longer divide and accumulate with age – negatively impact health and shorten lifespan by as much as 35% in normal mice. The results demonstrate that clearance of senescent cells delays tumor formation, preserves tissue and organ function, and extends lifespan without observed adverse effects.

“Cellular senescence is a biological mechanism that functions as an ’emergency brake’ used by damaged cells to stop dividing,” says Jan van Deursen, Ph.D., Chair of Biochemistry and Molecular biology at Mayo Clinic...

Photo by Alexander Wild

A product called the OFF!® Clip-On™ repellent device could be an effective tool for preventing bites from the Aedes aegypti mosquito – the primary vector of Zika, chikungunya, dengue, and yellow fever. The OFF! Clip-On repels mosquitoes by releasing a vapor form of insecticide through a battery-powered fan, forming an insecticide “cloud” around the wearer of the device. In order to test the effectiveness of the device, Christopher Bibbs and Rui-De Xue of the Anastasia Mosquito Control District in Florida studied how the device performed against hungry Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The study was done outdoors in order to replicate real-world conditions.

They found that the OFF! Clip-On caused high mosquito mortality and knockdown rates up to 0...