Tuesday, August 12, 2008

A little Cuervo...


A little Cuervo Can Be Good for You

By Michael Leshinski

A little Cuervo in your life can actually help your liver instead of destroying it. No, I am not talking about the popular tequila maker, but rather about a molecular biologist who shares the same name. As reported by Wired magazine, Dr. Ana Cuervo is working on research that could possibly provide healthier livers to booze hounds in the future. Cuervo and her fellow researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine have been working with mice through genetic engineering. The altered mice are usually elderly, in mouse years, but have been altered so that their liver works as effectively as young mice (6 months old). The study focused on a protein found in the liver as well as other parts of the body. The protein collects cellular by-products, mainly appearing as damaged proteins, or garbage as they put it.

The group employs simple logic to back the research. If you take out the garbage properly, then the rest of the cell should work just fine. And it has been so far for these little furry test subjects. Besides the possibility for a healthier liver, the research could be breakthrough for Alzheimer’s disease, a disease also associated with the buildup of cellular by-products. But don’t start celebrating with the Cuervo shots just yet. The research being done is still in very early stages and the possible transformation into human medication has not even yet been thought discussed. Whether you’re a fan of consequence free alcohol consumption or someone who really cares about the advancement of research in these important issues, news can be welcomed by all.