Johns Hopkins scientists have decoded the activity of protein signals. The proteins' mammalian counterparts are known to have signaling roles in immunity, nervous system and heart development, and tumor progression, suggesting broad implications for human disease research. This was experimented on fruit flies. Fruit flies have a set of nerve cells called motor neurons that connect muscle fibers to the nerve cord to control muscle movement. In their experiments, the researchers learned that axons travelling together have proteins on their surfaces that act like two-way radios. This allows the axons to communicate with each other and coordinate their travel patterns, while ensuring that every muscle fiber gets connected to a nerve cell. "This signaling is complex and we still don't understand how it's all controlled, but we're one step closer now," says Kolodkin. This study proves how important it is to study and understand protein. It is interesting to know that scientists are coming closer and closer everyday to discover these new studies.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130107145711.htm
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