If you asked a starfish (aka: sea star) to pick “heads or tails”, and they could understand what you were talking about, they would pick heads every time. In fact, researchers recently discovered that starfish are simply heads without a body: It gets better…starfish do not even have a brain or blood, and they eject their stomach out of their mouth to eat. Terrible table manners. Aside from these extreme […]
The Midlands Society of Physiological Sciences held their annual conference on October 21st at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The Keynote Lecture was given by Dr. Manolis Kellis, Professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He spoke about the use of artificial intelligence approaches to examine how fly and human genes are regulated. Other highlights: Anuj Singh (University of Nebraska Medical Center): Opioid use is a major healthcare concern and […]
The Ohio Physiological Society met October 6-7th at The University of Toledo located in Toledo, OH. True to the name of this year’s conference, the Keynote address was given by Dr. Joseph Wu, Director of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute and current president of the American Heart Association. His research focuses on congenital heart disease in adults as well as cardiovascular imaging. His most recent clinical trials involve testing bone-derived stem […]
Bats are known for their strong immune systems and impressive longevity. In fact, some species live 20 years or more in the wild. Unlike many long-lived species, however, cancer is a rare occurrence in bats. A new study published in Genome Biology and Evolution examined the link between immune function and cancer resistance in bats. The team characterized the genome of Jamaican fruit bats (Artibeus jamaicensis) and Mesoamerican mustached bats […]
Cope’s gray treefrogs, Dryophytes chrysoscelis, are remarkable animals that can actually survive being frozen…multiple times each year. In fact, these animals live in an environment in which temperatures commonly dip below freezing. When temperatures drop, up to 65% of their body water literally freezes. In anticipation of freezing temperatures, they begin to accumulate cryoprotectant chemicals during the fall to help protect their organs. Until now, the effects of repeated cycles […]
Most complex animals, like humans, lack the ability to regenerate. In contrast, some simpler life forms are able to regenerate tissues and sometimes their whole body, if necessary. In a new study published in Cell Reports, scientists discover clues to tissue and whole-body regeneration in cnidarian Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus. They discovered that aging cells send out signals that transform neighboring cells into stem cells. These stem cells are then able to […]
Meet the honey possum (Tarsipes rostratus). These animals are small and rather unusual marsupials with few teeth and a specially adapted tongue to aid in the consumption of a diet consisting of only nectar and pollen. Because they feed primarily at night, rely on fresh flowers, and tend to stress easily, they are difficult to study. In fact, their adrenal gland, which produces the stress hormone cortisol, weighs about 1,600 […]
Although they look furry and fun to pet, larvae of asp caterpillars (like the one pictured above) would inflict pain on anyone bold enough to touch them. Underneath their “fur” lay venomous spines containing toxins that cause intense burning pain. Although other caterpillars and insects are also venomous, the particular venom produced by asp caterpillars is different. In fact, researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia think that these […]
During this year’s Shark Week, I came across an article published in Endangered Species Research that reported on warm-blooded basking sharks (Cetorhinus maximus). While the majority of fish and sharks are cold-blooded, researchers found that the core body temperature of these endangered basking sharks is 1-1.5 degrees celsius warmer than the water in which they swim. Because not all tissues are warm, they are ‘regionally endothermic’. While it makes sense […]
Ever wonder how fireflies light up the night? This Youtube video explains the physiology and biochemistry of firefly bioluminescence: Optogenetics Optogenetics is a field of science aimed at using light to activate, or inactivate, neurons and other cells. In exciting new research, scientists at Central Michigan University and Brown University are advancing the field of optogenetics by understanding the physiology of fireflies and other bioluminescent organisms. With this new research, […]
Life Lines by Dr. Dolittle 