A study published today in Nature Communications describes how lymphatic endothelial cells assist in generating robust immune memory, offering new insights into how the immune system functions.

Specifically, the researchers found there is a particular genetic program within the lymphatic endothelial cells that enables storage and archival of portions of an immunization or pathogen (antigens) for future use.

The research is among the first to outline that there’s a genetic “transcriptional” program within lymphatic endothelial cells that impact the immune response and could be manipulated.

The study was led by researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz, with experts in medicine, immunology and microbiology and biochemistry and molecular genetics.

A new study, led by experts at the University of Nottingham, has found that the production of meat-based pet foods has a much greater impact on the environment in comparison to plant-based alternatives.

The study, led by Rebecca Brociek from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, and published in Frontiers in Nutrition - Nutrition and Sustainable Diets, showed that plant-based diets for pets had the lowest impact across all measures of environmental impact. This included the land needed to produce them, greenhouse gas emissions, the polluting effects of production on soil and water reservoirs, and freshwater withdrawal.

Pet food production contributes substantially to global environmental issues, driven largely by animal-derived ingredients.