❤️ Category

physiology

109 papers

Physiology explores how living systems function, from the microscopic signals inside a single cell to the complex rhythms of an entire organism. This field seeks to understand the mechanical, physical, and biochemical processes that keep life moving, offering crucial insights into health, disease, and the body's remarkable ability to adapt.

On Gist.Science, we process every new preprint in this category from bioRxiv to make these rapid discoveries accessible to everyone. For each study, we provide both a clear, plain-language explanation and a detailed technical summary, ensuring that whether you are a curious student or a seasoned researcher, you can grasp the latest findings without getting lost in jargon.

The papers listed below represent the newest physiological research recently shared on bioRxiv, ready for you to explore.

❤️ physiology

Choriodecidual Ureaplasma parvum infection induces fetal lung inflammation prior to intra-amniotic infection in a nonhuman primate model

This study demonstrates in a nonhuman primate model that localized choriodecidual *Ureaplasma parvum* infection triggers fetal lung inflammation and injury through systemic signaling pathways even before the bacteria invade the amniotic fluid or fetal tissues, suggesting that subclinical ascending infections can initiate respiratory morbidity associated with preterm birth.

Tripathy, S., Crilley, N., Morgan, T. K., Schelonka, R. L., Kelleher, M. A.2026-06-09
❤️ physiology

Hypoxia increases neural proliferation, alters vascular structure, and reprograms the transcriptome and proteome of the speckled sanddab brain

This study demonstrates that prolonged hypoxia triggers a multi-level adaptive response in the speckled sanddab brain, characterized by increased neural proliferation, region-specific vascular remodeling, and molecular reprogramming of stress and metabolic pathways to maintain function in low-oxygen estuarine environments.

De Miguel, Z., Stephens, P., Dash, A., Bohman, G., Diez, A., Logan, C. A., Hamilton, S. L.2026-06-08
❤️ physiology

The beta cell glucocorticoid receptor protects against hyperglycaemia by modulating insulin secretion during glucocorticoid rhythm disruption in mice

This study demonstrates that beta cell glucocorticoid receptor signaling is essential for maintaining glucose homeostasis during glucocorticoid rhythm disruption by enabling compensatory hyperinsulinemia through the reprogramming of beta cell stimulus-secretion coupling.

Wilson, J., Arzeno, A. S., Sharma, S., Agas, A., Lungstrum, J., Teruel, M. N.2026-06-08
❤️ physiology

Fixed-dose streptozotocin combined with high-fat diet induces a stable type 2 diabetes-like phenotype in C57BL/6J mice

This study demonstrates that administering a fixed dose of anomer-equilibrated streptozotocin to high-fat diet-fed C57BL/6J mice induces a stable, low-variability type 2 diabetes-like phenotype, offering a superior alternative to conventional weight-adjusted dosing which often leads to inconsistent outcomes and high mortality.

Fryklund, C., Simonsson, C., Hellberg, A., Malmberg, J., Stenkula, K. G., Swanberg, M.2026-06-04
❤️ physiology

RNA Sequencing in Adult Drosophila Females Identifies Estrogen-Related Receptor-Dependent Transcriptional Changes in Metabolism, DNA Replication, and Translation

This study utilizes RNA sequencing in adult female *Drosophila* to demonstrate that the Estrogen-related receptor (ERR) regulates sex-specific transcriptional programs, including the downregulation of DNA replication machinery and the upregulation of ribosome biogenesis, alongside conserved metabolic pathways.

Fleck, S. A., Goldstone, E. B., Weaver, L. N.2026-05-25
❤️ physiology

PIEZO1-mediated mechanosensation links aging to bladder dysfunction

This study identifies PIEZO1-mediated mechanosensation in bladder smooth muscle as a key driver of age-related bladder dysfunction and demonstrates that targeting this pathway, either through genetic deletion or dietary inhibition with margaric acid, can alleviate urinary symptoms in aged mice while human genetic data links PIEZO1 gain-of-function variants to early-onset bladder dysfunction.

Hamed, Y. M. F., Joshi, V., Wilhelm, K., Romero, L. O., Solomon, O. D., Kwok, T. B., Lopez Gonzalez, E. D., Ridlon, M. M (…)2026-05-25
❤️ physiology

Metabolic Reprogramming Coordinates Mannose and Glutamine Metabolism to Maintain Glucose Homeostasis During Glycosuria

This study reveals that during glycosuria, a kidney-driven metabolic reprogramming coordinates skeletal muscle mannose oxidation and glutamine utilization to spare glucose and maintain systemic homeostasis, thereby limiting the glucose-lowering efficacy of SGLT2 inhibitors.

Rashid, N., Otunla, M., Hasan, N., Hodges, M. J., Qaissi, H. H., Faniyan, T. S., Clement, P. R., Lin, P., Kaddah, M. M. (…)2026-05-22
❤️ physiology

A neonatal rat sepsis score captures the time course and severity of disease in a clinically relevant rat peritonitis model.

This study establishes a clinically relevant neonatal rat peritonitis model induced by fecal slurry and introduces a novel neonatal rat sepsis score (nRSS) that effectively correlates with disease severity, time course, and biochemical markers to facilitate future research on neonatal sepsis mechanisms and therapies.

Jahandideh, F., Liu, S. N., Tworek, K., Noble, R., Rachid, J.-J. R., MacLellan, A., Lalu, M., Macala, K. F., Bourque, S. (…)2026-05-19
❤️ physiology

Maternal iron deficiency remodels cardiac mitochondria and alters stress responses in hypertensive pregnancy

Maternal iron deficiency induces significant remodeling of cardiac mitochondrial ultrastructure and selectively impairs iron-dependent respiration in hypertensive pregnancy, revealing a complex interplay where favorable hemodynamic adaptations coexist with underlying bioenergetic constraints despite the absence of overt oxidative damage or apoptosis.

Rachid, J.-J. R., Holody, C. D., Liu, S. N., Roshmi, R. R., Badhan, N. S., Wong, A., Wiedemeyer, A. R., Vu, J., Khodaboc (…)2026-05-17
❤️ physiology

Microbiota-derived indole-3-propionic acid regulates glucose homeostasis via remodeling of hepatic mitochondrial metabolism

This study identifies the gut microbiota-derived metabolite indole-3-propionic acid (IPA) as a direct regulator of hepatic glucose homeostasis that improves systemic glucose tolerance by remodeling mitochondrial metabolism and redirecting lactate-derived carbon away from gluconeogenesis, independent of classical insulin or glucagon signaling.

Maalumi, O., Ben Moshe, Z., Blank, O., Barkan-Michaeli, R., Yona, A., Sharabi, K.2026-05-13