Although cells are separated from the outside world by a membrane, they can still sense well what is happening around them. They capture hormones and nutrients such as sugar, iron or cholesterol and bring them packed in…
The cell envelope is covered with a wide variety of receptor proteins. They are the sensors to the environment, perceive signals such as the availability of nutrients and transmit this information to the inside of the cell.…
We now live longer than at any point in human history, but to enjoy those extra years, we need to remain healthy, mobile and independent. With age, however, our muscles inevitably lose mass and strength. This age-related…
Millions of tiny microbes on leaves, stones or our skin jostle for space. And almost everywhere they have to compete for resources and nutrients. In the course of evolution, some bacteria have therefore developed a weapon to…
Cells proliferate by dividing repeatedly. Each cell division produces two daughter cells, which must first grow to a certain size before they can divide, too. This requires an increased production of cell components,…
In Switzerland, about 650 new cases of liver cancer are diagnosed every year. The incidence of the malignant and aggressive liver cell carcinoma has doubled in the last 20 years, especially in developed countries. One…
The G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) perform very diverse tasks in our body. They enable us to see, taste food, feel cold or warm, or respond to stress. Located on the cell surface, GPCRs sense a large variety of signals…
The causes of liver cancer are manifold. In addition to metabolic disorders such as those associated with obesity, the main causes in the western world are infections with hepatitis C virus and high alcohol consumption.…
It is hardly bigger than a matchbox and yet there is a laboratory en miniature on this chip. Single bacterial cells grow in about 2000 channels of a thousandth of a millimeter in diameter and can be individually studied in…
The issue of intestinal bacteria is a complex one. On the one hand, we are dependent on the microorganisms because they are the ones that digest the food in our intestine. On the other hand, there are also numerous pathogens…
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