Cell division is an essential process for all life on Earth, yet the exact mechanisms by which cells divide during early embryonic development have remained elusive—particularly for egg-laying species ...

The enzyme RNA polymerase II transcribes genes into messenger RNA. This process is guided by modifications to the enzyme's "tail" called phosphorylation patterns. Scientists at St. Jude Children's ...

The distinct aging rates of neural progenitor cells and Wnt signaling dictate mammalian cortical layer proportions.

In a groundbreaking study on the synthesis of cellulose -- a major constituent of all plant cell walls -- a team has captured images of the microscopic process of cell-wall building continuously over ...

G protein-coupled receptors, or GPCRs, sit in the plasma membrane, the boundary that defines the inside and outside of a ...

Dead cells after the self-destruction and fragmentation process. The large green areas are the “eat me” signals which alert immune cells to kick-start clean-up and recycling process, while the small ...

Cell walls are a crucial structure of plant life, protecting cells from damage, giving plants shape, and containing energy-rich nutrients. And yet the process of how the walls begin to form remains ...

The outer regions of the brain, the cortex, have specific layers of different cells—neurons—that are similarly ordered among all mammals, from tiny mouse brains to huge elephant brains. However, the ...

In certain contexts, the Notch receptor may participate in “reverse signaling,” influencing neighboring cells directly.

After cells die, they leave a residue that sends messages to other cells in ways that are valuable to the immune system. But this process can also be hijacked by viruses such as influenza, according ...