Optogenetics allows to non-invasively manipulate cellular functions with spatio-temporal precision by combining genetic engineering with the control of protein function by light. Since the discovery of channelrhodopsin has ......

The primary cilium is a solitary, microtubule-based organelle present on most vertebrate cells, where it functions as a central hub for sensing and transducing extracellular signals. This Cell Science at a Glance article ...

Mammalian fertilization relies on sperm finding the egg and penetrating the egg vestments. All steps in a sperm's lifetime crucially rely on changes in the second messenger cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate). In recent ...

Promoting brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity innovatively targetsobesity and metabolic disease. While thermogenic activation of BAT is wellunderstood, the rheostatic regulation of BAT to avoid excessive energy dissipation ......

Precise temporal and spatial control of gene expression greatly benefits the study of specific cellular circuits and activities. Compared to chemical inducers, light-dependent control of gene expression by optogenetics ......

Primary cilia are hair-like protrusions of the plasma membrane that function as cellular antennae and are present on most cells in the human body. Primary cilia dysfunction leads to severe diseases, commonly termed ...

Autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a ciliopathy characterized bymutations in PKD1 or PKD2, which drive cystogenesis in renal epithelial cells. Immune cells, particularly macrophages, contribute to ......

Macrophages are one of the prominent leukocyte populations in white adipose tissue (WAT) and play an important role during WAT homeostasis and remodeling. Macrophage function in WAT is determined by ontogeny and the local ...

The second messenger 3´, 5´-cyclic nucleoside adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) plays a key role in signal transduction across prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Cyclic AMP signaling is compartmentalized into microdomains to fulfil ...