Credit: iStock/Ekaterina79 Cancer is a scary experience. You may have heard the term “metastasis” in relation to cancer that can spark more worry. You might not understand exactly what metastasis is. It’s the spread of cancer, from its original site,—such as when breast cancer spreads to the lungs or the brain. Read on to learn … Continue reading Spotlight On: Metastasis
Cell Physiology
Going with the Flow: How I Learned to Embrace a New Scientific Technique
Credit: iStock/Hris As a doctoral student studying metabolism and behaviors associated with feeding, my research goal is to determine how peripheral metabolic hormones such as insulin and leptin affect groups of nerve cells (scientists call them “neuron populations”) inside the area of the brain known as the hypothalamus. We typically assess neurons by cutting thin … Continue reading Going with the Flow: How I Learned to Embrace a New Scientific Technique
Spotlight On: Autoimmune Disease
Credit: iStock/mohd izzuan Your immune system is a powerful defense network that protects you from harmful invaders such as bacteria and viruses (called pathogens). The immune system helps your body identify foreign substances called antigens that may harm you and launches an attack to neutralize them. You need this complex system for survival—but what happens … Continue reading Spotlight On: Autoimmune Disease
Spotlight On: Taste
Credit: iStock/Antonio_Diaz Imagine taking a bite of one of your favorite foods. During this moment you are engaging all five primary senses. You see the food, feel the texture and smell the aroma. Perhaps you hear the sizzle as it cooks or the crunch as you bite. But chiefly amongst these experiences, you are tasting … Continue reading Spotlight On: Taste
Cell Monsters: Understanding Cancer at the Cellular Level
Credit: iStock/Mariia Guseva It’s Halloween, and while ghosts and goblins may haunt the night, there’s something scarier that could be lurking inside our bodies: cancer cells! Like creatures from a horror movie, these cells can turn into rogue invaders, causing chaos. But don’t worry—scientists are on the hunt to stop them! What Makes a Monster? … Continue reading Cell Monsters: Understanding Cancer at the Cellular Level
Spotlight On: Breast Cancer
Credit: iStock/tunpungato Breast cancer is the most diagnosed invasive tumor type in women. One in 8 women living in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. Men can also get breast cancer, but the number of cases is much smaller. How does breast cancer begin? Breast cancer begins when breast cells … Continue reading Spotlight On: Breast Cancer
Photoblog: 2024 American Physiology Summit
Raz Abdulqadir presents her poster at the 2024 American Physiology Summit. Credit: Raz Abdulqadir The 2024 American Physiology Summit took place at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California, last month. This annual event convened scientists, educators and trainees from diverse fields within physiology. APS member and PhD student Raz Abdulqadir traveled from … Continue reading Photoblog: 2024 American Physiology Summit
Spotlight On: Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress
Credit: iStock Cells have many different compartments—known as organelles—that have different functions. A commonly known example of an organelle is the “energy center” of the cell called mitochondria. Each organelle has its own important role in cellular function. One lesser-known organelle is the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The ER is essential for making and maturing proteins, … Continue reading Spotlight On: Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress
Speedy Delivery: How Your Body’s Lymphatics Doubles as a Drug Delivery System
Credit: iStock Our bodies have two important transportation systems: the blood vessel system and the lymphatic vessel system. The blood vessel system is a closed circuit that connects to the heart, also known as the cardiovascular system. The cells that make up the inner wall of blood vessels, called blood endothelial cells, are tightly connected. … Continue reading Speedy Delivery: How Your Body’s Lymphatics Doubles as a Drug Delivery System
Stay Hydrated to Keep Your Muscles Happy
Credit: iStock Water balance is one of the most important functions of the body. The cells in the body require a stable environment to survive and work like they should. As originally put by the 19th century French physiologist Claude BernardMD: “La fixité du milieu intérieur est la condition de la vie libre, independante” (The … Continue reading Stay Hydrated to Keep Your Muscles Happy