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In mammalian embryos, crucial tissues are produced from a group of cells that are scarce and only exist for a very short time. Now, researchers have deciphered their molecular signature.

The naked mole-rat, a rodent native to Africa, can survive with little or no oxygen far longer than other mammals. The secret lies in its metabolism: in addition to the...

Immunotherapy with T-cells offers great hope to people suffering from cancer. Some initial successes have already been made in treating blood cancer, but treating solid tumors remains a major challenge. The signaling molecule interferon gamma, which is produced by T-cells, plays a key role in the therapy. It cuts off the blood supply to tumors, as a new study in the journal Nature reveals.

Measurements with small sample sizes can become ‘statistically significant’ due to the combination of small sample numbers and measurement error. This produces effects that are not present in the system under scrutiny.

When oxygen runs low in their underground burrows, naked mole rats have a unique method of survival. Their metabolism switches from a glucose-based system, which depends on oxygen, to one that makes use of fructose. For a while this suffices to protect sensitive organs such as the heart and brain. Scientists of the Max Delbrück Center of Molecular Medicine now explain this unique survival strategy in the current issue of the journal Science.

New studies show that salty food diminishes thirst while increasing hunger, due to a higher need for energy