by Florian Ritter, Max Planck Society The image shows scar tissue in the human brain after traumatic injury. Deposits of SLRP proteins in the scar are shown in magenta and cyan. Credit: Daniel Wehner In mammals, including humans, scar tissue forms after injury to the spinal cord as part of the healing process. In mammals, however,...
By Sally Robertson, B.Sc. Reviewed by Kate Anderton, B.Sc. (Editor) New research from the University of Sydney suggests that excessive intake of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in the form of pre-mixed protein powders, shakes and supplements may do more harm to health than good. Amino acids have long been praised by bodybuilders and fitness fanatics for their muscle building...
(HealthDay)—Nuts and seeds are often mentioned in the same breath, but nuts seem to get all the attention. Time to stop overlooking seeds—they might be tiny, but they pack in a lot of nutrients. They’re also tasty and some make a filling snack. Like nuts, seeds have protein, carbohydrates and fats. Because of their fat content, they’re calorie-dense, and a half-ounce—weighed without...
A computational strategy has delivered a redesigned, more stable version of a cytokine protein that mimics the natural protein’s interactions with receptors, opening the way for designer cytokine-based therapeutics. Messenger proteins called cytokines are secreted from cells and travel throughout the body. In the immune system, a cytokine called interleukin-2 (IL-2) delivers signals to receptors...
