he researchers report their findings in the advance online publication of the Nature Cell Biology July issue.
The cells in our bodies constantly sense their environment and respond appropriately. For example, if pathogens invade the body, cells will respond by generating an inflammatory environment to fight the pathogen. This is achieved by intricate molecular circuits within cells that sense and relay external signals and orchestrate the cellular response. Aberrant functioning of these cellular switch boards can lead to diseases including autoimmune disorders and cancer.
In the study, an the scientists set out to better understand the molecular workings underlying inflammation. Inflammation, the body's primary line of defense against disease-causing microbes and parasites, is a highly complex and tightly regulated biochemical process involving a myriad of specialized cells communicating with each other through an arsenal of signaling molecules.
Holly Barlaam on 04 Sep 11Program from Rutgers University (my alma mater). Designed to help high school students learn molecular genetics by participating in genuine scientific research. Cool stuff! Even if you don't participate, there are some nice resources here for genetics.
