Researchers discover a calcium-mediated effect that helps preserve the integrity of the sheets of cells lining our bodies and organs. Peer-Reviewed Publication Kyushu University An apoptotic, or dying cell, characterized by its wavy membrane, lies within a cultured sheet of epithelial cells. Credit: Yuma Cho and Junichi Ikenouchi, Kyushu University Fukuoka, Japan—A research team from...
Tag: <span>calcium</span>
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Destroying tumor cells with calcium
Activating calcium channels leads to a deadly influx of calcium ions into tumor cellsPeer-Reviewed Publication WILEY Calcium ions are essential for cells, but can be toxic in higher concentrations. A team of researchers has now designed and prepared a combination drug that kills tumor cells by modulating the calcium influx into the cell. An external...
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Calcium: A key player for a promising and safe brain treatment?
by Tokyo Medical and Dental University Antisense oligonucleotides for treatments of neurological diseases, directly injected into cerebrospinal fluid in spaces around the brain, may cause side effects, abnormalities of consciousness or motor function. These side effects can be predicted by calcium decrease in neuronal cells. Credit: Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, TMDU A promising therapy...
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Study finds calcium precisely directs blood flow in the brain
by University of Maryland School of Medicine Calcium (pink) directs blood flow in the brain’s blood vessels. Credit: Thomas Longden Unlike the rest of the body, there is not enough real estate in the brain for stored energy. Instead, the brain relies on the hundreds of miles of blood vessels within it to supply fresh energy...
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Vitamin D twice a day may keep vertigo away
by American Academy of Neurology Taking vitamin D and calcium twice a day may reduce your chances of getting vertigo again, according to a study published in the August 5, 2020, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. “Our study suggests that for people with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo,...
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Insight into protein misfolding could open up new approaches to treat Parkinson’s disease
by University of Cambridge Researchers have uncovered a link between the structure of the protein alpha-synuclein and its likelihood to misfold and aggregate. Alpha-synuclein aggregates are the hallmark of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease. Their findings, published today in Nature Communications, identify potential new therapeutic targets in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. The human...
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Molecular gatekeepers that regulate calcium ions key to muscle function
CHILDREN’S NATIONAL HOSPITAL Calcium ions are essential to how muscles work effectively, playing a starring role in how and when muscles contract, tap energy stores to keep working and self-repair damage. Not only are calcium ions vital for the repair of injured muscle fibers, their controlled entry into the mitochondria, the cell’s energy powerhouses, spells...
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What is the difference between sea salt and table salt?
By Jessica Caporuscio, Pharm.D. Reviewed by Miho Hatanaka, RDN, LD Table salt and sea salt are both useful when preparing food. Manufacturers mine table salt from salt deposits and process it into a fine crystal, whereas sea salt comes from evaporating seawater. Many people believe that sea salt is healthier than table salt because it...
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How to get your calcium if you’re lactose-intolerant
(HealthDay)—With research finding that the body prefers calcium from food, not supplements, it can be a challenge to meet daily requirements if you’re lactose-intolerant. On average, adults need about 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day. Fortunately, there are choices within many food groups that deliver on calcium. Leafy greens are a great calcium source, and at the top of the list are cooked spinach, collard...
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Electric fields: cancer killers?
Pulsing cells with electric fields can force calcium diffusion into cells. Researchers have now optimized this technique in an attempt to kill cancer cells and leave healthy cells intact. Researchers from the Bioelectrics Department of Kumamoto University (Japan) have identified the optimal pulsed electric field (PEF) conditions for the maximum calcium cell membrane permeability. There...