Navigation Links
Engineering excitable cells for studies of bioelectricity and cell therapy
Date:7/19/2011

DURHAM, N.C. By altering the genetic makeup of normally "unexcitable" cells, Duke University bioengineers have turned them into cells capable of generating and passing electrical current.

This proof-of-concept advance could have broad implications in treating diseases of the nervous system or the heart, since these tissues rely on cells with the ability to communicate with adjacent cells in order to function properly. This communication is achieved through the passage of electrical impulses, known as action potentials, from cell to cell.

The researchers achieved this transformation by introducing genes into the cells that result in the formation of ion channels which are openings, or gates, on the surface of cells. Ion channels allow the flow of electrically charged molecules, or ions, to exit or enter the cell thus enabling the transfer of electric current from one cell to its neighbor.

"By introducing only three specific ion channels, we were able to give normally electrically inactive cells the ability to become electrically excitable," said Rob Kirkton, graduate student in the laboratory of senior investigator Nenad Bursac, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Duke's Pratt School of Engineering.

"We also demonstrated proof-of-concept experiments in which these modified cells were able restore large electrical gaps within and between rat heart cells," Kirkton continued. "This approach to genetically engineering electrical excitability may stimulate the development of new cell or gene-based therapies for excitable tissue repair."

The results of the Duke experiments were published in the journal Nature Communications. The researchers are supported by the National Science Foundation, the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health.

"We believe that our approach opens the door to a wide range of novel studies involving electrical communication between cells and may al
'/>"/>

Contact: Richard Merritt
richard.merritt@duke.edu
919-660-8414
Duke University
Source:Eurekalert

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2 3

Related biology news :

1. BGI and National Wolfberry Engineering Research Center launch Chinese wolfberry genome project
2. NJIT receives second part of $1M gift to chemical engineering department
3. Engineering blue-hued flowers
4. UA engineering college lands national support for equipment used in unique research
5. U.S. Biomedical Leaders Present a New National Device Innovation Strategy Based on "Value-driven Engineering"
6. Progress in tissue engineering to repair joint damage in osteoarthritis
7. Environmental engineering students and faculty study Passaic River pollution
8. Engineering new weapons in the fight against juvenile diabetes
9. Columbia Engineering team makes major step in improving forecasts of weather extremes
10. Stevens biomedical engineering students fight hypothermia on the battlefield
11. Yale scientists discover new method for engineering human tissue regeneration
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:6/18/2013)... Medicine have discovered a mechanism that is used to ... of blood typically associated with clotting, were discovered to ... it off from the rest of the body. The ... this week, provide the science community with a greater ... that platelets do participate in immunity, but now it,s ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... the Energy Department,s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), ... a paper describing a novel cellulose-degrading enzyme from ... commonly known as the gribble. , Gribbles ... unique ability to produce their own enzymes instead ... biomass they eat. New biomass-degrading enzymes from novel ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... environmental engineer has been awarded a $394,300 grant ... water quality and flow in the new facilities ... Kruzic, UT Arlington associate professor of civil engineering, ... add monochloramine to the water in an effort ... stations and pipelines. Adding monochloramine is widely practiced ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Immunity mechanism discovered 2Novel enzyme from tiny gribble could prove a boon for biofuels research 2UT Arlington research to benefit quality, flow in 150-mile Integrated Pipeline 2
... or community taken to combat childhood obesity? The percentage ... 35 years. Local governments play a crucial role by shaping ... to find fresh fruits and vegetables, play outdoors, walk, and ... TO PREVENT CHILDHOOD OBESITY, a new report from the Institute ...
... air cargo scanning technology team has been awarded ... Prize for Outstanding Science in Support of Defence ... outstanding science and/or technology with the potential to ... security. Security and border protection are key ...
... Blacksburg, Va. -- After engineers and scientists at Virginia Tech, ... water, Michael Phelps may find he still has a few ... ,The remarkable ability of fish to maneuver in ... to accelerate in a seemingly effortless fashion has researchers wondering ...
Cached Biology News:Tackling childhood obesity at the local level -- IOM report releases Sept. 1 2NSF Emerging Frontiers' program supports development of smart materials based on study of fish 2NSF Emerging Frontiers' program supports development of smart materials based on study of fish 3
(Date:6/18/2013)... Tabletop SEMs are inexpensive and easy to ... performance and capability such as small sample sizes, lower ... provide better imaging performance and more analytical capability but ... higher cost of maintenance. The Pemtron PS-230 and ... types of SEM product, offering competitive prices compared with ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... (Monday, June 17, 2013) A million electric cars could ... the decade with the help of research by the United ... University of Waterloo. , Professor Zhongwei Chen is part of ... to develop non-precious materials to replace the expensive platinum catalysts ... the adoption of fuel cells in vehicles is the cost ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... China Cord Blood Corporation (NYSE: CO ) ... blood collection, laboratory testing, hematopoietic stem cell processing, and ... financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ... Fourth Quarter of Fiscal 2013 Highlights ... increased by 33.3% to RMB133.0 million ($21.4 million) from ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... June 18, 2013 In support of ... the Consulate General of Switzerland in New York is ... Switzerland’s MS Tûranor PlanetSolar , to Manhattan. PlanetSolar ... DeepWater Expedition 2013 tour with scientists on board from ... Gérard d’Aboville, runs exclusively on energy from the sun ...
Breaking Biology Technology:Nanounity Introduces the Pemtron Range of Compact Scanning Electron Microscopes 2Nanounity Introduces the Pemtron Range of Compact Scanning Electron Microscopes 3US and Canadian researchers drive towards cheaper fuel cells for electric cars 2China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 2China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 3China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 4China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 5China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 6China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 7China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 8China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 9China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 10China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 11China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 12China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 13Switzerland’s MS Tûranor PlanetSolar, the World’s Largest Solar Boat, Arrives in New York City 2Switzerland’s MS Tûranor PlanetSolar, the World’s Largest Solar Boat, Arrives in New York City 3Switzerland’s MS Tûranor PlanetSolar, the World’s Largest Solar Boat, Arrives in New York City 4
... - Exploiting a novel technique called phase discontinuity, researchers at ... induced light rays to behave in a way that defies ... published this week in Science , has led to ... of a ray of light bouncing off a surface or ...
... /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Advanced Technological Education Television (ATETV), an ... National Science Foundation , returns with 40 new videos just ... is a free Web video series featuring up to the ... and employment opportunities. The series debuted in 2009 and has ...
... 2011 An online library of cellular images freely ... celebrated its one-year anniversary on August 9, 2011 by ... favorite website. The Scientist announced the readers, ... from the judges. The Cell has more than 3,000 ...
Cached Biology Technology:From a flat mirror, designer light 2From a flat mirror, designer light 3New Videos Spotlight Science/Technology Careers and Educational Path To Secure Jobs in Them 2Free Online Library of Cell Images Wins 'The Labby' 2
... with a modular approach to instrument control, ... Plus NDS family provides modular software components ... management, giving you the flexibility to choose ... now and that can grow as your ...
... Workgroup solution is a highly scalable ... expression data in a workgroup or ... in over 40 leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, ... GeneSpring Workgroup streamlines genomics research at ...
... designed for proteomic scale kinase profiling, ... and drug discovery research built on ... on-chip synthesis platform. These microarrays are ... Protein Kinase Substrate - Peptide Microarray ...
... 18 amino acid synthetic peptide whose sequences are derived from mouse ... carboxy terminus): S(21) - S - M - P - L ... A - I - D - K - K - I ... peptide may be used for neutralization and control experiments with the ...
Biology Products: