Building functional human muscle in the laboratory has long been a goal of regenerative medicine, but one stubborn obstacle remains: real muscle is not just a mass of cells. Its strength and function depend on exquisitely ordered myofibers, all aligned in precise directions that vary from one muscle to another. Reproducing that internal order has proved far harder than shaping muscle tissue into the right external form.

In the International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, a research team from Xi'an Jiaotong University has now found a way to solve both problems at once. By using electric forces during the electrohydrodynamic bioprinting process, they have created living muscle tissues whose cells naturally line up just as they do in the human body, showing how electric forces can be used not just to precisely bioprint tissue, but to quietly instruct cells how to organize themselves.

University of Warwick research warns that popular deep learning systems trained for cancer pathology may be relying on hidden shortcuts rather than genuine biological signals.

A novel bioengineering strategy utilizing peptide display technology on the AAV1 capsid has successfully generated next-generation viral vectors with significantly enhanced specificity and efficiency for inner ear cell transduction, offering a promising advance toward targeted gene therapies for hearing and balance disorders.

Aging is a major risk factor for chronic diseases, and calorie restriction (CR) is a robust non-pharmacological intervention that can extend health span in multiple species. Alternative splicing (AS) generates multiple RNA isoforms from a single pre-mRNA and becomes dysregulated with age; intriguingly, prior work suggests that CR can attenuate age-associated splicing noise. What has remained unclear is whether AS responses to CR are coordinated across tissues and whether they scale with the level of restriction.

Atherosclerosis represents a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the accumulation of lipid-laden macrophage foam cells within arterial walls, serving as the underlying pathological basis for cardiovascular diseases including myocardial infarction and stroke. Despite significant advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms driving atherogenesis, novel therapeutic targets remain urgently needed to address the persistent global burden of cardiovascular disease. A research study by Fengchan Li and colleagues identified macrophage-derived semaphorin 7A (SEMA7A) as a critical driver of atherosclerosis progression through a previously unrecognized signaling axis involving integrin β1, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and macrophage scavenger receptor 1 (MSR1), offering promising new targets for therapeutic intervention.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) represents one of the most prevalent chronic endocrine-metabolic disorders affecting women of reproductive age, with global prevalence estimates ranging from 5% to 18%. Characterized by reproductive abnormalities, hormonal dysregulation, and metabolic dysfunction, PCOS constitutes a leading cause of female infertility and is frequently accompanied by insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and obesity. Emerging evidence has increasingly implicated gut microbiota disturbances in PCOS pathogenesis, suggesting that probiotic interventions may offer novel therapeutic avenues. A research study investigated the therapeutic potential of Akkermansia muciniphila PROBIO (AP), a specific probiotic strain, in a dehydroepiandrosterone-induced PCOS rat model, revealing significant improvements in reproductive and metabolic parameters through modulation of gut microbiota and enhancement of arginine biosynthesis.

Protein S deficiency represents a rare but significant hereditary thrombophilia that poses substantial risks during pregnancy, yet clinical management remains controversial due to limited evidence-based guidance. A retrospective case-control study investigated the effects of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) prophylaxis on pregnancy outcomes in women with suspected protein S deficiency, providing crucial insights into optimal anticoagulation strategies for this high-risk population. Conducted at Peking University People's Hospital between November 2012 and May 2024, the study analyzed 35 pregnant women with protein S activity levels indicating suspected deficiency, comparing 20 women who received LMWH prophylaxis with 15 who received standard care without anticoagulation, alongside 70 healthy pregnant controls.