Mutations in a multifunctional protein cause parkinsonism
...bers. Their work revealed the culprit gene and the multifunctional protein that it codes for. Mayo Clinic neuropathologist Dr. Dennis Dickson performed brain tissue studies that revealed for the first time one gene was responsible for a range of pathology associated with a host of neurodegenerative disorders....Chemical turns stem cells into neurons say scientists at Scripps Research Institute
...cogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3beta). This is a multifunctional "signaling" enzyme involved in a number of physiological signaling processes whereby it modulates other enzymes by attaching a phosphate group to them. The fact that modulating GSK-3beta leads the cells to become neurons reveals basic information on...Mayo Clinic researchers discover enzyme has potential to stop multiple sclerosis tissue damage
... actively demyelinating human MS lesions. MSP is a multifunctional enzyme, facilitating entry of inflammatory cells into the brain and also contributing to tissue destruction when overexpressed. It also may harm processes of the oligodendroglia, cells found in the central nervous system that form the myelin sheath p...New software helps design multi-task, jaw-like, surgical mini-tools
...es bend to improve maneuvering. Haluck adds, "This multifunctional approach may eventually be used in cardiac therapy... time an instrument has to be exchanged. Having a multifunctional tool could reduce these time consuming instrument exchanges."...