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Scientists have revealed the key role played by a form of actin in the mechanics of epithelial membranes and the dynamics of components of cell-cell junctions. Our skin and mucous membranes are protected by epithelial cells. This "barrier" tissue performs its function thanks to specialized structures called "junctions".

Scientists reveal the key role of specific genes in feather development, providing insights into their evolution from dinosaurs. Feathers, essential for thermoregulation, flight, and communication in birds, originate from simple appendages known as proto-feathers, which were present in certain dinosaurs.By studying embryonic development of the chicken, two researchers from the University of Geneva have uncovered a key role of a molecular signalling pathway (the Shh pathway) in their formation.

New active ingredients such as antibodies are usually tested individually in laboratory animals. Researchers at UZH have now developed a technology that can be used to test around 25 antibodies simultaneously in a single mouse. This should not only speed up the research and development pipeline for new drugs, but also hugely reduce the number of laboratory animals required.

Scientists have uncovered how a gut bacterium, Clostridium scindens, aids in healing intestinal injuries by restoring bile acid balance. Their findings could pave the way for new treatments for ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. The human gut is home to trillions of bacteria that play vital roles in digestion, immunity, and overall health.

Nerves and muscles must work together perfectly for us to move. Researchers at the University of Basel have identified a large number of genes in mice that help maintain the connection between muscle and nerve cells. The study, published in "Nature Communications", also provides valuable insights for the treatment of currently incurable neuromuscular diseases.

Scientists have identified previously unknown neural modules in the brain that control movement and adapt during skill learning. Their findings challenge long-held ideas about how the brain organizes movement. For nearly a century, scientists have known that different parts of the human brain's cortex control different body movements.

Some bacteria deploy tiny spearguns to retaliate against rival attacks. Researchers at the University of Basel mimicked attacks by poking bacteria with an ultra-sharp tip. Using this approach, they have uncovered that bacteria assemble their nanoweapons in response to cell envelope damage and rapidly strike back with high precision.

For the first time, researchers have been able to observe how the pupils react during sleep over a period of several hours. A look under the eyelids showed them that more happens in the brain during sleep than was previously assumed. Our eyes are typically closed when we sleep.

Everything is poison, nothing is poison: it's the dose that makes the poison! A team of scientists from the University of Freiburg has described the mechanisms that lead our cells to naturally produce hydrogen cyanide. This gas, toxic in excessive doses, plays a major role in the proper functioning of our bodies.

The symptoms of schizophrenia vary greatly from person to person. A new study shows how these differences manifest themselves in the structure of the brain. Schizophrenia is a complex mental health condition that affects perception, thought and emotions. This complexity is reflected in the individual manifestations of the disease: for some patients, perceptual disturbances are the main problem, while for others, cognitive impairments are more prevalent.

Gene regulation underpins nearly every biological process-from cell development to responses to environmental changes, and understanding it can provide insights into cancer and other diseases. Now, FMI researchers have made significant progress in uncovering how transcription factors-proteins that control gene expression-work in fission yeast, a key model organism for studying gene regulation.

Scientists have developed a geometric deep learning method that can create a coherent picture of neuronal population activity during cognitive and motor tasks across experimental subjects and conditions. In the parable of the blind men and the elephant, several blind men each describe a different part of an elephant they are touching - a sharp tusk, a flexible trunk, or a broad leg - and disagree about the animal's true nature.

Researchers have developed a new gene switch that can be activated using a commercially available nitroglycerine patch applied to the skin. One day, researchers want to use switches of this kind to trigger cell therapies for various metabolic diseases. The body regulates its metabolism precisely and continuously, with specialised cells in the pancreas constantly monitoring the amount of sugar in the blood, for example.

Cases of bacterial sexually transmitted infections are on the rise worldwide. An international team led by the University of Zurich has now developed a new method for genome sequencing and discovered a previously unrecognized strain of chlamydia According to the World Health Organization (WHO), hundreds of millions of new cases of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are reported worldwide each year.

Scientists from the University of Geneva have discovered an enzyme in cancerous lymphatic cells whose properties enable the immune system to fight tumours more effectively. When a tumour develops, it creates a structure around itself called the tumour stroma, within which blood and lymphatic vessels ensure nutritional and respiratory biological exchanges.

A team from the University of Geneva shows how the interpretation of specific scientific information on sexual orientation differs according to the gender and religiosity of individuals. Sexual orientation is believed to result from complex processes that are still widely debated. However, for several years, a large body of research has sought to identify potential biological factors.

University of Bern, Patrizia Jaeggi The public can take part in a survey to decide on the names of two fish species discovered by Bárbara Calegari and her colleagues.

A daily intake of one gram of omega-3s can slow down biological aging by up to four months, according to an analysis of clinical data from the international DO-HEALTH study led by the University of Zurich. For the first time, epigenetic clocks were used to measure the aging process. Many people would like to delay or even stop the aging process.

A team from UNIGE, the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Physiology in Dortmund, and Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf has identified the attack mechanism of the Tc toxin produced by certain bacteria. From the breakthrough of Nobel Prize-winning CRISPR gene-editing methods to the development of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, the ability to manipulate biomolecules has emerged as one of the most significant advancements in science and medicine over the past decade.

Researchers have developed a computational method to explicitly consider the impact of water while designing membrane receptors with enhanced stability and signaling, paving the way for novel drug discovery and protein engineering. Proteins are life's engines, powering processes like muscle movement, vision, and chemical reactions.