Tissue

When someone suffers a heart attack, their heart is left permanently scarred and thus less capable of pumping blood. According to a new study, however, a protein injection could help undo such damage.The problem with scar tissue on the heart is the fact that, unlike regular cardiac muscle tissue, it can't expand and contract.This means that the heart as a whole likewise can't expand and contract to the extent that it did previously. Additionally, the remaining undamaged cardiac tissue has to work harder than before,…

The new study uses postmortem brain tissues to understand genomic differences in individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Credit: Darry Leja, NHGRIA new study has used postmortem brain tissue to examine genomic differences in individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.A study led by researchers at the National Human Genome Research Institute, which is part of the National Institutes of Health, has identified differences in gene activity in the brains of people with attention deficit…

Scientists have successfully restored erectile function in pigs with penis injuries using artificial tissue."We were surprised by the results in the animal experiments, where the penis regained normal erection immediately," says tissue engineer Xuetao Shi from South China University of Technology.About half of all humans with penises experience some form of erectile dysfunction between the ages of 40 and 70. Some of those experience Peyronie's disease, where scar tissues from past injuries cause pain and disruption in…

By Wiley January 4, 2023Scientists have identified three genes and their expressed proteins that may be involved in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. In the study, investigators discovered different expression levels of the SHMT1, FAM120B, and ICA1L genes (and their proteins) in the brain tissues of multiple sclerosis patients versus controls.New research published in the Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology on December 7 has identified three genes and their expressed proteins that may be involved in the…

Recent research suggests that eating at night could contribute to your risk of obesity.New research provides experimental evidence that late eating reduces energy expenditure, increases hunger, and changes fat tissue, all of which may raise the risk of obesity.About 42% of adults in the United States are obese, which increases the risk of developing chronic diseases including diabetes, cancer, and other conditions. While popular healthy diet mantras warn against midnight snacking, few studies have thoroughly studied the…

The tiny blobs of lab-grown human brain tissue were just specks, each measuring a few millimeters in diameter. Researchers at Stanford University made them by cultivating human stem cells into three-dimensional clumps of tissue. Called brain organoids, these simplified structures contain some of the cells and properties of a real human brain, offering insight into development and neurological conditions.But they’re not nearly as complex as the real thing, so to boost their realism, researchers elsewhere have tried…

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It sounds a little bit like the premise of a horror movie, but scientists have determined that the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans actually changes in size once it enters a body, increasing its chance of infection.Out in the wild, the fungus can be found in a variety of different habitats, such as rotting wood or in bird droppings. It shows the same versatility inside the body once inhaled, traveling from the lungs through the bloodstream to other organs.Once settled inside the human body the pathogen can be…

The immune system’s foreign body response is important for keeping us healthy – but it’s not so useful when that foreign body is a medical implant. Researchers at MIT have now developed a device that prevents scar tissue forming around implants by gently inflating and deflating every 12 hours.When the immune system detects an object that doesn’t belong in the body, it mounts a response to prevent infection or other complications. Part of that response involves forming a thick layer of scar tissue around the object, to…

Imagine you've just completed a tough upper-body workout. Your muscles feel a bit tired, but all in all, you're able to go about the rest of your day just fine.The next morning, you wake up and realize the back of your shoulder blade feels stiff. When you rub your shoulder muscles, it feels like you're prodding a little gumball under your skin. Every time you try to move it around, the area feels tight, with slight pangs of pain.  Over the course of the next few days, your back slowly loosens up and, eventually, your…