Showing posts with label immune response. Show all posts
Showing posts with label immune response. Show all posts

Friday, March 13, 2015

Molecular Mimicry: A Maladaptation of Learning

"Imitation is not just the sincerest form of flattery - it's the sincerest form of learning." - George Bernard Shaw

Generally speaking, knowledge is the pursuit of all living things. As part of the animal kingdom we educate ourselves for our survival, as do birds learning to fly or lions learning to hunt. Learning even has implications on the molecular level, with increasing evidence pointing to long-term potentiation via the regulation of AMPA and NMDA channels in the synapse. The idea here is that post-synaptic neurons in the brain physically change in response to use over time, correlating use with channel up regulation. Perhaps this is why cramming before a test is less effective than reviewing the material on a regular basis leading up to an exam.

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Fish skin Band-Aids: a natural way to speed wound healing



Have a cut on your hand? You’re most likely apt to reach for the box of Band-Aids or roll of gauze in the medicine cabinet. But what about some fish skin protein to cover that wound? It may sound like a remedy straight out of The Little Mermaid, but in fact researchers in China have recently discovered that collagen obtained from Tilapia fish significantly speeds up wound healing in rats.