Tokyo, Japan – Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have created a new way of telling “aged” human cells apart from younger ones using electric fields. While key markers have been found for these “senescent” cells, current methods require biochemical “labels” which are difficult to apply and affect the cells themselves, making them difficult to study. The new method is label-free and less damaging. The team aims to diversify the method, extending it to other cell types.

New research indicates reef passes — channels that cut through coral reefs and serve as conduits for ocean water and nutrients — are shaped by island rivers.

One of the causes of infertility is abnormal chromosome function in oocytes. New research from Kyushu University has revealed an unexpected novel function of the histone modification H3K4me3: stabilizing chromosomes and spindles in mature mouse oocytes.