Asymmetric organs by calcium

2004/02/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Biokimika

A study reveals the influence of calcium on the location of asymmetric organs. The research has been conducted at the Salk Institute of California. After several experiments with Chita embryos, they discover that the Hensen node contains calcium. This node is the space that facilitates the organization of the structure of the embryo, so the presence of calcium has been associated with the location of asymmetric organs such as the heart and liver.

One of the great challenges of developmental biology is to explain how a being is created with left and right side differences from a symmetric cell grid. And this research is, without a doubt, one more step in the resolution of the mystery.