DIEGO MASONE^1,2,*

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.1, pp. 1-14, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.024146 - 26 September 2022

Abstract The inflexible concept of membrane curvature as an independent property of lipid structures is today obsolete. Lipid bilayers behave as many-body entities with emergent properties that depend on their interactions with the environment. In particular, proteins exert crucial actions on lipid molecules that ultimately condition the collective properties of the membranes. In this review, the potential of enhanced molecular dynamics to address cell-biology problems is discussed. The cases of membrane deformation, membrane fusion, and the fusion pore are analyzed from the perspective of the dimensionality reduction by collective variables. Coupled lipid-protein interactions as fundamental determinants More >

QING YIN¹, CAIHONG LIU¹, WENYING JIANG¹, HAIHUI GONG¹, CHUNYUN LI^1,2,3,*, ZUPING HE^1,2,3,*

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.1, pp. 33-39, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.023567 - 26 September 2022

Abstract Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) is a downstream effector of the Hippo signaling pathway, and it is involved in tumorigenesis, tissue repair, growth, and development. In this review, the biological roles and the mechanisms of YAP1 in mediating stem cell fate decisions are discussed, including cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. In general, YAP1 promotes the proliferation and differentiation of stem cells, including embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. It inhibits apoptosis by binding to the transcription factors, e.g., transcriptional enhanced associate domain (TEAD), Smad, runt-related transcription factor 1/2, p73, p63, and Erb84, to maintain tissue More >

IVANA PAJIC-LIJAKOVIC^*, MILAN MILIVOJEVIC

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.1, pp. 15-25, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.023469 - 26 September 2022

Abstract A key feature that distinguishes cancer cells from all other cells is their capability to spread throughout the body. Although how cancer cells collectively migrate by following molecular rules which influence the state of cell-cell adhesion contacts has been comprehensively formulated, the impact of physical interactions on cell spreading remains less understood. Cumulative effects of physical interactions exist as the interplay between various physical parameters such as (1) tissue surface tension, (2) viscoelasticity caused by collective cell migration, and (3) solid stress accumulated in the cell aggregate core region. This review aims to point out… More >

KHANDAKAR ABU MD MOSTAFIZAR RAHMAN^1,2, ABDUL SHUKOR JURAIMI^2,*, MD. REZWAN MOLLA³, MUHAMMAD ASYRAF MD HATTA⁴, ZULKEFLY BIN SULAIMAN⁵, SHAMIMA SULTANA⁶, AHMED GABER⁷, BENUKAR BISWAS⁸, AKBAR HOSSAIN^9,*

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.1, pp. 227-237, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.025135 - 26 September 2022

Abstract Every breeding program that aims to create new and improved cultivars with desired traits mostly relies on information related to genetic diversity. Therefore, molecular characterization of germplasms is important to obtain target cultivars with desirable traits. Sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] is widely considered the world’s most important crop, with great diversity in morphological and phenotypic traits. The genetic diversity of 20 sweet potato germplasms originating from Bangladesh, CIP, Philippines, Taiwan, and Malaysia were compared, which was accomplished by genetic diversity analysis by exploring 20 microsatellite DNA markers for germplasm characterization and utilization. This information… More >

TIANZHU LI^1,#, YU ZHANG^2,#, TONG ZHANG^2,#, YANNAN LI², HUI XUE², JINGLONG CAO², WENSHUANG HOU², YINGHUA LUO^3,*, CHENGHAO JIN^2,4,*,

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.1, pp. 195-204, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.025593 - 26 September 2022

Abstract Schisandrin B (Sch B) is a monomer with anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects, which are isolated from the plant Schisandra chinensis (Turcz) Baillon. We investigated the anti-gastric cancer (GC) effects of Sch B and its underlying molecular mechanisms. The Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was used to determine the effects of Sch B on the viability of GC and normal cell lines. Hoechst/propidium iodide staining and flow cytometry were used to assess the apoptosis induction of Sch B. Western blotting was used to evaluate the effects of Sch B on downstream apoptotic proteins. The DCFH-DA fluorescent probe was… More >

LIPING GONG¹, MING JIA^2,*

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.1, pp. 109-123, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.024620 - 26 September 2022

Abstract ATP binding cassette subfamily C member 8 (ABCC8) encodes a protein regulating the ATP-sensitive potassium channel. Whether the level of ABCC8 mRNA in lower grade glioma (LGG) correlates with immune cell infiltration and patient outcomes has not been evaluated until now. Comparisons of ABCC8 expression between different tumors and normal tissues were evaluated by exploring publicly available datasets. The association between ABCC8 and tumor immune cell infiltration, diverse gene mutation characteristics, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and survival in LGG was also investigated in several independent datasets. Pathway enrichment analysis was conducted to search for ABCC8-associated… More >

CHAO WANG^1,2, JUNWEI WANG¹, FANQIAN SONG^1,2, HANRUO LIU³, LIYAO SUN^1,2, XI WEI^1,2, TAO ZHENG¹, HUA QIAN², XIAOGUANG LI², WEIHUA ZHANG⁴, XIANLING TANG^1,*, PING LIU^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.1, pp. 143-154, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.023585 - 26 September 2022

Abstract Objective: Age-relate cataract (ARC) is a disease of the eyes with no effective drugs to prevent or treat patients. The aim of the present study is to determine whether histone H3, αA-crystallin (CRYAA), β-galactosidase (GLB1), and p53 are involved in the pathogenesis of ARC. Methods: A total of 99 anterior lens capsules (ALCs) of patients with ARC of various nuclear grades, ultraviolet models of ALCs, and two human lens epithelial cell lines (FHL-124 and SRA01/04) were used, and the expression of histone H3, CRYAA, GLB1, and p53 were detected by immunoblotting and reverse transcription and real time-quantitative… More >

TIANXING LIU¹, HONGYAN DIAO^2,*

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.1, pp. 27-32, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.023568 - 26 September 2022

Abstract Non-coding RNAs are speculated to exert important regulatory functions at the level of gene expression, oncogenesis, and many other pathologies. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and some studies have shown that the expression of non-coding RNAs has an assignable effect on the development of HBV-induced HCC. In this context, the functions and molecular mechanisms of the HBVinduced non-coding RNA expression in the development of hepatoma have attracted increasing attention. This review covers the progress in the exploration of the relationship between HBV-induced hepatoma and non-coding RNA expression, More >

WANTONG LIU^1,#, DANYANG CHEN^1,#, JINGYAO SU^1,#, RUILIN ZHENG^1,#, RAN KONG¹, BING ZHU¹, HAO DONG^2,*, YINGHUA LI^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.1, pp. 187-194, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.023030 - 26 September 2022

Abstract Liver cancer is the seventh most common malignant tumor in the world and is the second highest cause of death due to cancer. Quercetin, a flavonoid with low toxicity, widely exists in various fruits and vegetables. It has the potential to be a therapeutic agent against various cancers. This study aimed to demonstrate the anti-tumor effect of quercetin on HepG2 cells. Quercetin suppressed the HepG2 cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner in cell viability assay. Induction of cell apoptosis was confirmed by apoptotic cells population (sub-G1 peak) detected by flow cytometer. A decrease in mitochondrial More >

ZHUO YANG^#, WEN QIN^#, DI CHEN, JUNSHENG HUO, JINGBO WANG, LIYUAN WANG, QIN ZHUO, JIYONG YIN^*

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.1, pp. 125-131, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.022937 - 26 September 2022

Abstract Emodin is an effective component of rhubarb with positive pharmacological effects on human health. However, it is also toxic to different cells or tissues to varying degrees. The effects of emodin on glomerular endothelial cells (GECs) remain to be tested, and the documented works were always performed in vitro and hardly reflect the real physiological situation. To study the effects of emodin on GECs in a biomimetic environment, we utilized a microfluidic chip to assess the physiological reaction of human renal glomerular endothelial cells to various concentrations of emodin in this work. The results showed that More >