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Thanks Max, saved to my favorites
Janie
 
>Thanks Max, saved to my favorites

you betcha, Janie!
 
Cells rely on molecular scaffolds to allow different organelles to interact. New work from King's College London shows how this scaffolding disintegrates in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. By studying cultured neurons, the researchers could identify the proteins that help bring the mitochondria (the cell's powerhouse) and the endoplasmic reticulum (which stores calcium and makes proteins) together, as well as how this scaffolding loosened and ceased functioning in the presence of a mutation linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. By adding levels of these scaffolding proteins to the cell, the scientists were able to re-establish the strong bonds between the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. They have concluded in Nature Communications that these findings make a good potential therapeutic target.

Read more: Molecular 'scaffold' could hold key to new dementia treatments | neuroscientistnews.com
Journal article: ER–mitochondria associations are regulated by the VAPB–PTPIP51 interaction and are disrupted by ALS/FTD-associated TDP-43. Nature Communications, 2014. doi: 10.1038/ncomms4996
Image credit: dandeluca/Flickr
Neuroscience Research Techniques
Cells rely on molecular scaffolds to allow different organelles to interact. New work from King's College London shows how this scaffolding disintegrates in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. By studying cultured neurons, the researchers could identify the proteins that help bring the mitochondria (the cell's powerhouse) and the endoplasmic reticulum (which stores calcium and makes proteins) together, as well as how this scaffolding loosened and ceased functioning in the presence of a mutation linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. By adding levels of these scaffolding proteins to the cell, the scientists were able to re-establish the strong bonds between the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. They have concluded in Nature Communications that these findings make a good potential therapeutic target.

Read more:
Journal article: ER–mitochondria associations are regulated by the VAPB–PTPIP51 interaction and are disrupted by ALS/FTD-associated TDP-43. Nature Communications, 2014. doi: 10.1038/ncomms4996
Image credit: dandeluca/Flickr

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http://tediagnosedtalks.ted.com/video/Secrets-to-Alzheimers-ALS-and-P


Paul Alan Cox is a Harvard Ph.D. who has searched for new medicines from plants used by traditional healers in the Pacific and Southeast Asia. For these efforts TIME magazine named him one of 11 "Heroes of Medicine." His efforts in preserving island rain forests were recognized with the Goldman Environmental Prize. In thespirit of ideas worth spreading, TEdiagnosed is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEdiagnosed event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEdiagnosed, where x=independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEdiagnosed program, but individual TEdiagnosed events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)
 
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