Macrophages, evolutionarily conserved from primitive organisms, have long been overshadowed by T cells in transplant immunology. However, these versatile innate immune cells are now recognized as central drivers of chronic allograft rejection through their roles in vascular intimal hyperplasia, tissue fibrosis, and immune dysregulation. A new review summarizes current understanding of macrophage origins, heterogeneous subsets, and functions in allograft injury, and highlights emerging therapeutic strategies targeting key signaling pathways, moving beyond conventional T cell-centered immunosuppression.

New research reveals the unusual shape, size and pattern of the dermal denticles that cover basking sharks – thought to be unique to this species. Researchers propose that the shape and arrangement of the skin’s scales protects the skin while also allowing for the stretchiness required to open and close their colossal mouths during ram filter feeding.

An international study by scientists at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has identified a fundamental mechanism that regulates how the body uses stored fat to produce energy.

The findings, published in The EMBO Journal, show that calcium levels within mitochondria determine whether these organelles remain attached to or detach from lipid droplets, the cellular structures where fat is stored.

Scientists have uncovered what may be the earliest evidence of “right-handedness” in the animal kingdom, dating back more than half a billion years. The discovery comes from the fossil record of Spriggina floundersi, an organism from the Ediacaran Period that lived about 550 million years ago.

A recent study by the University of Granada reveals that the fall in water levels in Mediterranean reservoirs is causing a dramatic increase in methane emissions. Using a floating platform equipped with advanced technology, scientists were able to continuously monitor gas exchange between the water and the atmosphere for the first time in Spain. The findings show that, whilst carbon dioxide levels remain stable, methane levels surge during droughts due to biogeochemical processes in the sediments. This research highlights that climate change and water scarcity could turn these ecosystems into sources of pollution far more potent than previously estimated. Understanding these dynamics is essential for developing water management strategies that help to mitigate global warming more effectively.