When the eye’s drainage system clogs, pressure builds up and causes damage. The pressure can lead to glaucoma and vision loss. New research, published March 9 in the journal Immunity, reveals that a specialized set of immune cells act as the cleanup crew, pointing to a promising new target for therapies to prevent a major cause of blindness.

Rotator cuff tears often heal with stiff, dysfunctional scar tissue, limiting recovery. A new study reveals why tendon regeneration fails after injury. Using single-cell profiling of tens of thousands of cells from patient tendon samples, the study maps the first atlas of human tendon scarring and identifies pro-fibrotic stem cells, senescent tendon cells, scar-forming macrophages, and transitioning endothelial cells. Targeting key fibrotic signals reduced scarring in animal models, suggesting new therapeutic strategies.

Narrow-ridged finless porpoises were long assumed to be mostly solitary species with little allomaternal interaction. In a new study, researchers from Kindai University found four infant porpoises swimming with non-mother adults. The functions of these interactions are unclear. It is possible that they reduce swimming effort for infants and help young females learn to interact with infants before having their own offspring. These findings are valuable for wildlife conservation and rehabilitation of abandoned infant porpoises.