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New Tiny Channels in Plants and Brain May Hold Clues to Health
Confirmed
In Short: Researchers at University College London have identified a network of tiny channels in plant cells that respond to wounds with hydrogen peroxide bursts, potentially aiding in the removal of toxic proteins.
In mice with Alzheimer's disease, these channels were found to contain amyloid beta, suggesting a role in protein transport.
Neuroscientist David Attwell explained that these channels, similar to those found in lymph nodes, could be a key part of the brain's protein removal system.
Attwell emphasized the need for further research to confirm these channels' function in humans and their potential role in Alzheimer's disease.
Meanwhile, a new species of wild cat has been discovered in Bolivia's cloud forests, marking the first new feline species named in over a century.
Evolutionary biologist Jonas Lescroart noted that the Leopardus tilcayo cat is difficult to distinguish from other species based on appearance alone.
The discovery of these tiny channels and the new cat species highlights ongoing scientific exploration into the natural world.
In a separate development, astronomers have identified a new astronomical object they call a 'little red dot,' which may contain a black hole.
Astronomer Anna de Graaff said, 'There's nothing that looks like these sources in millions of ground-based telescope observations.'
The James Webb Space Telescope has also provided insights into the earliest stars, known as Population III stars, formed from hydrogen and helium.
What this adds
The study on the tiny channels in plants and brain cells is a preprint and has not yet undergone peer review.
What's confirmed
- In mice with Alzheimer's disease, these channels were found to contain amyloid beta, suggesting a role in protein transport.
- Neuroscientist David Attwell explained that these channels, similar to those found in lymph nodes, could be a key part of the brain's protein removal system.
- Attwell emphasized the need for further research to confirm these channels' function in humans and their potential role in Alzheimer's disease.
- Meanwhile, a new species of wild cat has been discovered in Bolivia's cloud forests, marking the first new feline species named in over a century.
- Evolutionary biologist Jonas Lescroart noted that the Leopardus tilcayo cat is difficult to distinguish from other species based on appearance alone.
- The discovery of these tiny channels and the new cat species highlights ongoing scientific exploration into the natural world.
- In a separate development, astronomers have identified a new astronomical object they call a 'little red dot,' which may contain a black hole.
- The James Webb Space Telescope has also provided insights into the earliest stars, known as Population III stars, formed from hydrogen and helium.
What's still developing
- Now, researchers at University College London have identified a previously undocumented network of tiny channels that could fill in part of the map.
- "The pathways by which toxic proteins are removed from the brain are poorly understood," neuroscientist David Attwell told ScienceAlert.
- "We have now shown that, in both these locations, proteins are in fact removed through tiny tubes that appear to be similar to the tubes present in lymph nodes outside the brain (e.g. in the armpit or neck)," Attwell explained.
- "We also need to know whether a slowing of this pumping contributes to initiating Alzheimer's disease, and whether therapeutically speeding the pumping could help treat the disease," Attwell said.
- The study is a preprint that has not undergone peer review, and the channels' function in living humans remains to be established.
- The new study identifies a specific cellular structure that may help explain how proteins travel through two proposed exit routes.
- Tiger cats are considered cryptic species, meaning closely related species can be extremely difficult to distinguish from one another based solely on appearance. ( Photo: Fernando Faciole/National Geographic/Handout/Reuters ) “Tiger cats are considered species that are difficult to distinguish based on appearance alone,” said evolutionary biologist Jonas Lescroart of the University of Antwerp in Belgium, one of the researchers involved in the study.
- The Leopardus tilcayo cat, now living at the Senda Verde Wildlife Sanctuary in Bolivia ( Photo: Fernando Faciole/National Geographic/Handout/Reuters ) “We never expected this Bolivian tiger cat to be a separate species, and no one had ever proposed it as a different animal, subspecies or otherwise,” Lescroart said.
- “The more differences in their DNA, the longer the time that we estimate those lineages to have been physically separated,” Lescroart explained.
- Gallery Meet the leopardus tilcayo: Bolivia’s tiny wild cat is the first new feline species named in a century ( Photo: Fernando Faciole/National Geographic/Handout/Reuters ) The cat lives in Bolivia’s lush Yungas forests, a mountainous ecosystem where dense vegetation is often shrouded in clouds and humidity remains high.
- Plasma born of heavy hydrogen blooms into brilliant pink, roiling and writhing around the doughnut-shaped chamber.
- Then, tiny grains of lithium tumble into the maelstrom, sparkling like scarlet fairy dust before bursting into streaks of vivid green-yellow light.