Science

Organs-on-Chip Unveil How Cobra Venom Destroys Blood Vessels

Jun 4, 2024 1 min read

Jump to Summary

Researchers from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, MIMETAS, and Naturalis Biodiversity Center have developed a 3D model called "blood-vessel-on-a-chip" to study the effects of snake venom on human blood vessels. This innovative model, which mimics human blood vessels, allows scientists to observe the impact of venom without using laboratory animals. The research team tested the model with venom from four snake species: Indian cobra (Naja naja), West African carpet viper (Echis ocellatus), many-banded krait (Bungarus multicinctus), and Mozambique spitting cobra.

The study utilized specialized imaging techniques to monitor how the venoms interact with the blood vessel cells on the chip. The researchers discovered that some venoms can directly damage the membranes of endothelial cells, while others cause the cells to detach from their extracellular matrices, leading to vessel collapse. This approach offers a more accurate understanding of how snake venom affects blood vessels and holds promise for developing better antivenoms. Additionally, it significantly reduces the need for animal testing in venom research. The findings, which provide critical insights into snakebite treatment, are published in Sci Rep. 2024;14(1):11157.

#health

Summary

Other news in science

NASA and Boeing to Provide Starliner Mission Update Today

Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) on June 6, marking its first astronaut mission. The mission experienced delays due to pre-flight and in-flight malfunctions. Boeing's advanced daytime satellite tracking technology, featuring a large aperture telescope and short-wave infrared sensors, captured the

Webb Telescope Captures Super-Jupiter Exoplanet 12 Light Years Away

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured an image of Epsilon Indi Ab, a "super-Jupiter" exoplanet located approximately 12 light-years away from Earth. This planet, which is several times the mass of Jupiter, orbits the K-type star Epsilon Indi A, a star similar in age to our

PsiQuantum to Establish Major Quantum Computing Facility in Chicago

PsiQuantum, a California-based quantum computing firm, has announced plans to construct the largest quantum computing facility in the United States at the former U.S. Steel South Works property in Chicago. The project, in collaboration with the State of Illinois, Cook County, and the City of Chicago, will establish the

Scientists Recreate Neanderthal Bird Cooking with Stone Tools

Scientists from the Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social in Spain have conducted experiments to understand how Neanderthals prepared and ate birds. Using flint flakes for butchering, they found that the process required significant precision and effort. The flakes proved sharper than anticipated, leaving marks on the bird