Cell of the Month: The Kidney

Cell of the Month: The Kidney

Most of us will remember from high school biology class that kidneys comprise part of the excretory system and function in toxin removal, maintaining electrolyte homeostasis and regulating the body’s acid-base balance. Beyond this, proper kidney function is also...
The Skinny On Our Largest Organ

The Skinny On Our Largest Organ

A few years ago, I got into a heated debate. The topic was: what is the largest organ in the body? My “opponent”, a very bright student studying human health and disease, insisted that the liver was the largest, while I contended that it was the skin. I...
Thanksgiving, Toasters and Cortical Neurons

Thanksgiving, Toasters and Cortical Neurons

This time of year is full of celebrations. From the very end of October to the end of January, there are dozens of holidays from Diwali to Halloween to the Festival of the Twin Holy Days to Thanksgiving then on to Milad un-Nabi to Hanukkah to Christmas to Kwanza then...