ScienceCache
Vol. 184
Oct. 15, 2004
MINI-MOUSE IS A BAD MOM
Female mice that are abnormally small due to gene “knockout” technology
are also bad mothers whose poor parenting skills cause their young to
die within a day or two of birth, scientists report this week in the
on-line edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Since Chawnshang Chang cloned the gene for testicular orphan receptor
4 (TR4) 10 years ago, he and other scientists have tried to learn its
function – scientists call it an “orphan” receptor
because they don’t know what protein links up with it. So a team
led by Chang, director of George Whipple Laboratory for Cancer Research,
knocked out the gene in mice, then watched what happened. They found
that many of the mice died before birth. Those that lived are markedly
smaller than their normal counterparts: They’re born far smaller
and then make up some of the difference as they grow, but generally they
are about 20 to 30 percent smaller by the time they reach adulthood.
The miniature mice are not as fertile as normal mice, having only about
half the offspring as other mice. Most visibly, the females have very
bad parenting skills: They don’t build nests, nurse their young,
or tend to their offspring, which die within a day or two as a result. “Basically,
we observed mothers that don’t care for their pups,” says
post-doctoral associate Loretta Collins, who did much of the work along
with Yi-Fen Lee, assistant professor of urology.
Full story
TOUCHING RESEARCH: HOW WHITE BLOOD CELLS NAVIGATE
We all know the power of touch: A whack on the skull – or a hug – can
convey more information than other forms of communication ever can. It
turns out the same is true inside our bodies, where just the right touch
among blood cells can mean the difference between good health and chronic
conditions like heart disease and diabetes. The power of touch among
blood cells is the focus of a team of biomedical engineers that has received
an $11.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. The five-year
program takes aim at a process that is fundamental to our health: How
do mechanical forces govern our white blood cells and assure that they
protect our bodies from invaders like the flu? What forces help keep
those cells from getting out of control and attacking our own tissues?
The group is focusing on white blood cells known as neutrophils, which
are the body’s first responders to inflammation and infection,
and how those cells interact with the blood vessel lining known as the
endothelium. The cells float along on patrol in the bloodstream, looking
for invaders. When they see an intruder, they call in reinforcements,
pursue and destroy – but only in partnership with the blood vessel
lining, which gives the cells access to tissue. The physical touching
between the cells and the lining is crucial. “This is your first
line of defense against disease,” says Richard Waugh, chair of
the Department of Biomedical Engineering and leader of the team of engineers
and scientists who received the grant. “Some of the biggest health
problems that people face result from inappropriate responses of white
blood cells.”
Full story
INSTITUTE OF OPTICS SHINES IN 75TH ANNIVERSARY GLOW
The Institute of Optics is celebrating its 75th throughout the week.
The highlights include the groundbreaking of a new building to be shared
by optics and biomedical engineering, hosting the annual meeting of the
Optical Society of America that includes an address by U.S. Sen. Hillary
Clinton, an exhibit on the life of one of the Institute's founders, and
the release of a book detailing the highlights of the Institute's 75
years. "This is an exciting time for us because we can look back
at where the last 75 years have brought us while laying the groundwork
for some of the Institute's most exciting years to come," says Wayne
Knox, director of the Institute of Optics. "We're especially honored
that the optics community, as well as Senator Clinton, have turned out
to recognize what a powerful force this institute has been in the world." The
institute was founded in 1929 as the nation's first program of higher
education in the field of optics, and has granted more than half of the
optics bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in the nation. In a
recent National Research Council ranking of doctoral programs, the Institute
of Optics ranked first of 147 departments in number of publications published
per faculty member. Also this week, the institute is releasing a book
titled "A Jewel in the Crown," which chronicles the history
of the institute.
Full story
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