The Top Ten lists in Biology feature papers published during the last
two years (excluding review articles) that were most cited in current
journal articles indexed by
Thomson Reuters
during a recent two-month period. Papers are ranked according to the
latest bimonthly citation count. The articles below are accompanied by
expert discussion and analysis (including comments from the
papers’ authors) written by one of four veteran
scientist-journalists and longtime ScienceWatch.com
contributors.
Reprogramming
Adult Cells Into Stem-Cell-Like State
by Jeremy Cherfas
Three separate teams of biologists succeeded in effectively
reprogramming adult cells to serve as pluripotent stem cells, which
are then able to differentiate into any cell type. This method of
creating stem cells without the need for embryonic tissue offers
enormous therapeutic potential for creating new tissue from a
patient’s own cells.
View Article
ENCODE Project: Junking the Idea of Junk
DNA
by Jeremy Cherfas
The pilot study for the ENCODE Project, an encyclopedic study of
variation in the human genome, has already produced evidence that
supposedly non-coding regions of genetic material, previously
dubbed ‘junk DNA,’ actually possess complex properties
whose role in gene function and evolutionary conservation remains
to be elucidated.
View Article
In MicroRNA Research, Silence is Looking
Golden
by Jeremy Cherfas
Research into the strands of microRNA (miRNA) has clarified the
role that these molecules play in gene expression and other aspects
of cellular function. In particular, miRNA has been implicated in
diseases such as cancer, hepatitis, and diabetes. A research team
developed so-called ‘antagomirs’ to silence miRNA,
helping to elucidate miRNA’s role in cell differentiation and
other processes.
View Article
Tireless
Research Hints at Boost for Tuckered T Cells
by Jeremy Cherfas
A study of CD8 T cells of the immune system during infection has
indicated that blocking the action of certain proteins may prevent the
T cells from becoming exhausted and ineffective, raising hope for
treatment of such chronic infections as HIV and hepatitis.
View Article
