The Lady in the Lab

Gene regulation is the process of promoting or suppressing the expression of genes. Regulation can occur anywhere during transcription or translation. Sometimes, gene regulation also happens even before transcription. This is called epigenetic modification. Epigenetic modifications  occurs when compounds attach to DNA genes and alters gene expression. A good example of this is methylation. Methylation happens when methyl attaches to histones. This do not alter the DNA sequence. However, this gets the the DNA tightly wound around the histones. Transcription factors cannot bind to the DNA and the genes, therefore, cannot be expressed. Histone acetylation is another form of Epigenetic modifcation. This results in loosed packing of nucleosomes making it accessible for the transcription factors to bind enabling gene expression. Expression of genes regulated during transcription or translation results to either suppression or promotion of RNA or protein synthesis. A  ...

Cells need to communicate with each other to enable proper physiological response.  The movements of the body, for example, are controlled by the brain and the muscles. For this to happen, cells of the brain and the muscle tissues must interact. Communication between cells are usually through chemical signals. Chemical signals, called ligand, are released from a "sending cell" into the extracellular space. The target cells must have the correct receptor for that signal. Once the signal molecule binds to the correct receptor, the target cell changes in conformation to allow the signal molecule to enter the cell. Once the ligand is inside the target cell, chemical reactions take place affecting the activity inside the cell. I-Types of cell signaling There are four types of cell-cell signaling mainly differing in the distance the signal travels through. These are: Autocrine signaling Signaling by direct contact Paracine signaling Endocrine signaling 1. Auto...