When triggered by an odor, rapid changes in membrane voltage and intracellular calcium ion levels occur in nematode olfactory neurons, causing membrane voltage sensors and calcium ion sensors to ...

Neurons are the specialized cells that allow our bodies to transmit impulses, like factories that process inputs. They send signals that help us catch a ball, recognize a favorite song or pull our ...

Synaptic vesicles act as the brain’s chemical couriers, transporting neurotransmitters between cells. When a nerve impulse arrives, these vesicles fuse with the neuron’s membrane and release their ...

The typical job of the proteasome, the garbage disposal of the cell, is to grind down proteins into smaller bits and recycle some of those bits and parts. That's still the case, for the most part, but ...

Axons are the brain’s information highways, transporting cellular cargo, chemical signals, and electrical impulses to other cells. These “roads” are typically depicted as smooth and cylindrical, with ...

The constant, energy-driven motion inside living cells may generate electricity in a way no one fully recognized before.

Cells do more than carry out chemical reactions. New theoretical work suggests they may also generate usable electrical energy through constant motion in their membranes, offering a fresh way to think ...

Researchers have developed a theoretical framework that shows how living cell membranes can generate electricity from molecular fluctuations. The work is published in the journal PNAS Nexus. Subscribe ...

Schematic of an active cell membrane. In a typical active biological process, active proteins (shown in a variety of colors) in a cell membrane (shown in blue) interact with various biological ...