(Press-News.org) WASHINGTON, May 7, 2024 – As much as we might not want to think about it, mucus is everywhere in our bodies. It coats our airways and our digestive systems and serves as a first line of defense against pathogens, a habitat for our microbiomes, and a conveyor belt for our insides to keep everything moving smoothly.
The front-line role of mucus means it is often the site of the first symptoms of infection or disease. Understanding how mucus changes, and what it changes in response to, can help diagnose illnesses and develop treatments. Designing a study to measure the physical properties of mucus, however, is nothing to sneeze at.
In APL Bioengineering, by AIP Publishing, researchers from Stanford University developed a system to grow mucus-producing intestinal cells and study the characteristics of the mucus in different conditions. Their platform can explore the effects of pathogens and help develop medications to combat them.
Currently, researchers looking to study intestinal mucus commonly use lab animals for their experiments. These animals would be given a pathogen or drug, and researchers would surgically remove the intestinal mucus to study the effects. This process is expensive, complex, and most importantly, deeply unpleasant for the animals.
In addition, the researchers say, the act of removing the mucus is likely to change how it behaves, making any obtained results unreliable.
“When people collect the mucus from the animal, they’ll pipette it off or scrape it off,” said author Margaret Braunreuther. “But what we found is that when we pipette the mucus layer from our cell culture, we see a very different behavior after that action. We think that the act of pipetting or scraping this very soft polymeric solution is resulting in more liquidlike behavior.”
The alternative process developed by the Stanford team involves growing a layer of intestinal cells on a laboratory plate exposed to air. These cells produce a layer of mucus that the researchers can easily access for testing. Using a magnetic wire, they could measure the consistency of the mucus without affecting its properties.
“We put this wire on the mucus layer of the live cells, and then we applied a magnetic force to this probe and measured its displacement,” said Braunreuther. “From the relationship between the applied force and the magnetic wire displacement, we can then calculate the rheological properties of the material.”
Using this setup, the team simulated an infection by a parasitic worm to observe how the mucus responds. This study serves as both a practical demonstration of their platform and a glimpse into how these infections could be treated.
The group is now exploring even more ways to leverage their approach for better mucus health.
“We have a parallel effort to study airway mucus, looking at conditions such as cystic fibrosis and acute asthma,” said author Gerald Fuller. “We also started a collaboration with a group in Berlin to develop drugs to restore a healthy mucus response.”
###
The article “Air-liquid intestinal cell culture allows in situ rheological characterization of intestinal mucus” is authored by Pamela C. Cai, Margaret Braunreuther, Audrey Shih, Andrew J. Spakowitz, Gerald G. Fuller, and Sarah C. Heilshorn. It will appear in APL Bioengineering on May 7, 2024 (DOI: 10.1063/5.0187974). After that date, it can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0187974.
ABOUT THE JOURNAL
APL Bioengineering is an open access journal publishing significant discoveries specific to the understanding and advancement of physics and engineering of biological systems. See http://aip.scitation.org/journal/apb.
###
END
Seeking medical insights in the physics of mucus
In vitro testing platform offers a slimy window into gut health and disease treatments
2024-05-07
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Study sheds light on cancer cell ‘tug-of-war’
2024-05-07
WASHINGTON, May 7, 2024 – Understanding how cancerous cells spread from a primary tumor is important for any number of reasons, including determining the aggressiveness of the disease itself. The movement of cells into the extracellular matrix (ECM) of neighboring tissue is an essential step in cancer progression that directly correlates to the onset of metastasis.
In APL Bioengineering, by AIP Publishing, a team of researchers from Germany and Spain used a breast cancer cell line panel and primary tumor explants from breast and cervical cancer patients to ...
Social determinants of health and the availability of cancer clinical trials in the US
2024-05-07
About The Study: Substantial geographic disparities in cancer clinical trials availability exist throughout the United States, with the most socially vulnerable counties being far less likely to have any trial and having only a fraction of trials available, a disparity that has worsened over time.
Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Rishi Robert Sekar, M.D., M.S., email rsekar@med.umich.edu.
To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/
(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.10162)
Editor’s Note: Please ...
Multilevel characteristics of cumulative symptom burden in young survivors of childhood cancer
2024-05-07
About The Study: The findings of this study suggest that symptoms are prevalent years after young childhood cancer survivors’ initial cancer diagnosis, and interventions to reduce caregiver anxiety and neighborhood adversity and improve resilience may alleviate symptom burden.
Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, I-Chan Huang, Ph.D., email i-chan.huang@stjude.org.
To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/
(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.10145)
Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, ...
Why getting in touch with our ‘gerbil brain’ could help machines listen better
2024-05-07
Macquarie University researchers have debunked a 75-year-old theory about how humans determine where sounds are coming from, and it could unlock the secret to creating a next generation of more adaptable and efficient hearing devices ranging from hearing aids to smartphones.
In the 1940s, an engineering model was developed to explain how humans can locate a sound source based on differences of just a few tens of millionths of a second in when the sound reaches each ear.
This model worked on the theory that we must ...
It flickers, then it tips – study identifies early warning signals for the end of the African humid period
2024-05-07
The transition from the African Humid Period (AHP) to dry conditions in North Africa is the clearest example of climate tipping points in recent geological history. They occur when small perturbations trigger a large, non-linear response in the system and shift the climate to a different future state, usually with dramatic consequences for the biosphere. That was also the case in North Africa, where the grasslands, forests, and lakes favored by humans disappeared, causing them to retreat to areas like the mountains, oases, and the Nile Delta. This ...
Aquatic weed among ‘world’s worst’ expands in Northeastern US
2024-05-07
WESTMINSTER, Colorado – 7 May 2024 – An article in the latest issue of Invasive Plant Science and Management provides new insights on a northern hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) subspecies (lithuanica) and its establishment outside the Connecticut River. Considered among the “world’s worst” aquatic weeds, northern hydrilla hinders recreational activities by forming dense canopies. If unchecked, it has the potential to displace native species and host a bacterium that produces ...
Emergency department packed to the gills? Someday, AI may help
2024-05-07
UCSF-led study finds artificial intelligence is as good as a physician at prioritizing which patients need to be seen first.
Emergency departments nationwide are overcrowded and overtaxed, but a new study suggests artificial intelligence (AI) could one day help prioritize which patients need treatment most urgently.
Using anonymized records of 251,000 adult emergency department (ED) visits, researchers at UC San Francisco evaluated how well an AI model was able to extract symptoms from patients’ ...
Asthma education is key to reducing deaths worldwide, say respiratory health associations
2024-05-07
NEW YORK, NY - May 7, 2024 – On World Asthma Day 2024 the message is clear: "Asthma Education Empowers." The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS), of which the American Thoracic Society is a founding member, stresses the crucial role of education in empowering people with asthma to manage their condition effectively and to know when to seek medical assistance.
FIRS also urges health care professionals to enhance their awareness of the preventable morbidity and mortality from asthma and of the published evidence on effective asthma management, so they are equipped to provide reliable information and optimal treatment for their patients.
Asthma ...
60% of women with disabilities view cannabis as a ‘harmless’ drug
2024-05-07
A growing number of states and territories in the United States have legalized medical and recreational cannabis use. As such, recreational cannabis has been associated with a lower perception of risk of harm in the general U.S. population.
However, in women of childbearing age, evidence has shown that cannabis use may increase the risk of adverse reproductive and perinatal health outcomes. Furthermore, research on the perception of risk from using cannabis among vulnerable populations such as those with disabilities is lacking.
Using data from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, researchers from Florida ...
Years after his death, late scientist's work could yield new cancer treatments
2024-05-07
Some of the final work of a late University of Virginia School of Medicine scientist has opened the door for life-saving new treatments for solid cancer tumors, including breast cancer, lung cancer and melanoma.
Prior to his sudden death in 2016, John Herr, PhD, had been collaborating with UVA Cancer Center’s Craig L. Slingluff Jr., MD, to investigate the possibility that a discovery from Herr’s lab could help treat cancer.
Eight years of research has borne that idea out: Herr’s research into the SAS1B protein could lead to “broad and profound” new treatments ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Flipping the switch on sperm motility offers new hope for male infertility
Twisting sound: Scientists discover a new way to control mechanical vibrations in metamaterial
Drip by drip: The hidden blueprint for stalagmite growth
mRNA therapy restores sperm production and fertility in mice
New way to weaken cancer cells could supercharge prostate cancer treatment
How sound—but not touch—shapes rhythm in the brain
Exploring the therapeutic potential of hypothermia
Research alert: Bioengineering breathes new life into failed cancer treatment
AI, health, and health care today and tomorrow – the JAMA Summit Report on artificial intelligence
Large genetic study links cannabis use to psychiatric, cognitive and physical health
Social media use trajectories and cognitive performance in adolescents
Music for the brain: Study tests the effect of slow-tempo relaxing music to address delirium in critically ill older adults
AI models predict sepsis in children, allow preemptive care
Liraglutide vs semaglutide vs dulaglutide in veterans with type 2 diabetes
Antenatal corticosteroids and infectious diseases throughout childhood
New lab-grown human embryo model produces blood cells
Life after near death: Research reveals how to improve support for near-death experiencers
Illinois Chat is launched for campus community
FAU receives $3M federal grant to prevent substance use in at-risk youth
New report shows action to improve gender equity linked to career gains and better business performance
Kiwis could help manage chronic constipation
Breast, lung, and bladder cancer phase 3 trials led by Dana-Farber presented at ESMO Congress 2025
New open-source software allows for efficient 3D printing with multiple materials
Decoding the secrets of ‘chemo brain’
‘Far from negligible’: New Australian fossil fuel site will have major impact on people and the planet
UK heatwaves overwhelm natural ecological safeguards to increase wildfire risk
Key ExoMars Rover part ships from Aberystwyth
90% of Science Is Lost: Frontiers’ revolutionary AI-powered service transforms data sharing to deliver breakthroughs faster
Skin symptoms may forewarn mental health risks
Brain test predicts ability to achieve orgasm – but only in patients taking antidepressants
[Press-News.org] Seeking medical insights in the physics of mucusIn vitro testing platform offers a slimy window into gut health and disease treatments