Extracellular vesicles in bone and tooth: A state-of-art paradigm in skeletal regeneration

Bone and tooth, fundamental parts of the craniofacial skeleton, are anatomically and developmentally interconnected structures. Notably, pathological processes in these tissues underwent together and progressed in multilevels. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-released small organelles and transfer proteins and genetic information into cells and tissues. Although EVs have been identified in bone and tooth, particularly EVs have been identified in the bone formation and resorption, the concrete roles of EVs in bone and tooth development and diseases remain elusive. As such, we review the recent progress of EVs in bone and tooth to highlight the novel findings of EVs in cellular communication, tissue homeostasis, and interventions. This will enhance our comprehension on the skeletal biology and shed new light on the modulation of skeletal disorders and the potential of genetic treatment.     

A Melanesian α-thalassemia mutation suggests a novel mechanism for regulating gene expression

A Melanesian variant of the genetic disease α-thalassemia has recently been shown to be due to a single-nucleotide polymorphism located between the adult α-globin genes and their enhancers. The finding that this mutation creates a novel promoter provides support for a mechanism of gene regulation by facilitated chromatin looping.     

Lateral phase separations and perpendicular transport in membranes

A valinomycin-mediated potassium conductivity has been studied using a glass U-tube in which two aqueous compartments are separated by a fritted glass filter impregnated with valinomycin and one or more pure phospholipids. This system can be used to detect the beginning and end of lateral phase separations in binary lipid mixtures, and also demonstrates a pronounced maximum in electrical conductivity of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine at the transition temperature, 41°C.