Human brains (and the brains of other vertebrates) are able to process information faster because of myelin, a fatty substance that forms a protective sheath over the axons of our nerve cells and ...

In 1921, Otto Loewi woke from a dream with the idea for an experiment that proved nerves communicate using chemicals, not just electricity. By showing that stimulating one frog’s heart released a ...

Nerve cells are not just nerve cells. Depending on how finely we distinguish, there are several hundred to several thousand different types of nerve cell in the human brain according to the latest ...

A newly discovered mechanism that protects nerve cells could have important implications for understanding and treating mental illness.

AMES, Iowa – Researchers looking for ways to regenerate nerves can have a hard time obtaining key tools of their trade. Schwann cells are an example. They form sheaths around axons, the tail-like ...

A tickly itch, a painful scratch, or the feeling of a refreshing breeze—the skin is teaming with nerve endings that drive these sensations. Scientists are getting into the epidermis to explore how ...

When droplet-like structures called condensates collide with cell membranes, the interaction can alter the cell membrane’s electrical properties at the point of contact. This image shows a condensate ...

Nerve cells are not just nerve cells. Depending on how finely we distinguish, there are several hundred to several thousand different types of nerve cell in the human brain according to the latest ...

Scientists at ETH Zurich have broken new ground by generating over 400 types of nerve cells from stem cells in the lab, far surpassing previous efforts that produced only a few dozen. By ...

Ten years ago, three research teams published a breakthrough — the first description of the molecular mechanism for transduction in fingertip sensory Merkel cells that can transduce gentle touch, a ...