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Implant one day may replace dialysis

Vanderbilt researchers used pharmacological manipulations to increase salt and water transport by kidney cells grown in culture, a step necessary for realizing an implantable artificial kidney device.

Neurons with serotonin transporters labeled with quantum dots. (Jerry Chang / Vanderbilt)

Probing the roots of depression by tracking serotonin regulation at a new level

An interdisciplinary team of scientists have successfully tagged a protein that regulates the neurotransmitter serotonin with tiny fluorescent beads, allowing them to track the movements of individual molecules for the first time. This capability makes it possible to study the manner in which serotonin regulates mood, appetite and sleep at a new level of detail.