Monthly Archives: October 2017
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- October 24, 2017
Neuronal cell lines are commonly used for in vitro neurobiology studies because they are more easily transfected compared to primary neurons and they proliferate, whereas primary neurons do not. Neuronal cell lines can be induced to differentiate into neuron-like cells, where they express neuronal markers and elaborate processes resembling axons and dendrites. While using these cells may be cost-effective, the results may not be representative of primary neurons.
As with other cell lines, neuronal cell lines are not equivalent to primary cells. By the time the cells are used in experiments, they have likely undergone numerous replications, which can result in mutations and genetic drift. Immortalized cells or those derived from tumors differ biologically from normal, differentiated neurons derived from the nervous system. Indeed, numerous studies have found large differences between neuronal lines and primary neurons. For example, a study found that PC12 cells, a neuronal line derived
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- October 23, 2017
The 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Jeffrey C Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W Young for research that established key mechanistic principles on how circadian rhythms are regulated. Circadian rhythms are endogenous oscillations adjusted to changing external cues and driven by circadian clocks.
All multicellular organisms and almost all tissues in the body regulate circadian rhythms using a similar mechanism as the one elucidated by the 3 Nobel Laureates. Indeed, a majority of the genes expressed in our bodies are regulated by our circadian clock, consequently requiring careful calibration of our physiology with our environment. For example, the cell cycle is regulated by the circadian clock, and disruptions in circadian rhythms can be associated with the sort of aberrant cell cycling associated with tumorigenesis such as breast cancer. Circadian biology as it pertains to overall health, disease, and disease susceptibility has grown into a vast research
