A recent study has discovered a biological role of a specific transmembrane protein called TMEM208. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed that a ...

Complex multicellular organisms can only emerge from fertilized eggs because embryonic development is biologically precisely regulated. Cellular communication through signaling pathways plays a ...

Valproic acid (VPA)—a drug used to treat epilepsy, migraine, and bipolar disorder—can cause birth defects when taken during pregnancy. A team headed by researchers at Institut de Génétique et de ...

There are genetic factors that are known to contribute to some cases of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but understanding how those mutations can lead to ASD is very challenging. Scientists have ...

Folic acid, also known as vitamin B9, is an important B-vitamin with many vital functions in the human body. It was ...

New discovery on the causes of PAP lung disease can also offer solutions for treating obesity and heart disease. The research group has identified a genetic defect that causes the accumulation of ...

Scientists at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences have developed a multi-chamber organoid that mirrors the heart’s intricate structure. The human ...

The rare birth defect is associated with the mosquito-borne Zika virus. — -- At the center of the Zika virus crisis is the rise of a dangerous condition called microcephaly. The rare birth defect ...