metabolic detection assays

Alzheimer Disease and Metabolic Dysfunction: A Critical Intersection in Brain Health

Posted on by Simon Moe

This guest blog post is written by Alden Little, a Marketing Intern at Promega.

Alzheimer disease (AD) is one of the most devastating neurodegenerative disorders, affecting millions worldwide. While much attention has been given to amyloid plaques and tau tangles, emerging research suggests that metabolic dysfunction in the brain plays a crucial role in the disease’s progression. A recent study published in Acta Neuropathologica by Schröder et al. sheds new light on how astrocytes—the brain’s metabolic support cells—are affected in AD, and how their dysfunction impacts neurons.

Auguste Deter, a patient of Dr. Alzheimer, who first described the hallmark plaques and tangles of AD.
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Infographic: Assays for Measuring Insulin Activity

Posted on by Johanna Lee

We rely on insulin supplied by our pancreas at the right dose and at the right time to control our blood glucose levels and energy storage. Insulin works by regulating the energy usage of various cell types in the body. When this process goes awry, it can cause diabetes.

There are two types of diabetes, defined by how insulin is dysregulated. In Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), the pancreas produces too little insulin. Patients need to give themselves insulin in order to respond to glucose in the diet. In Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), patients do not respond well to the insulin produced in their body. Therefore, they need to give themselves more to avoid hyperglycemia (high blood glucose).

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