Cell biology

Tracheoblast

A tracheoblast is a progenitor cell of the insect tracheal system, known for forming new tracheoles and for building the adult airways of Drosophila during metamorphosis.

Traction force microscopy

Traction force microscopy (TFM) is a cell biology technique that measures the forces adherent cells exert by tracking deformation of fluorescent beads in a soft elastic gel, producing traction maps.

TRADD (TNFR1-associated death domain protein), a 34 kDa adaptor with N-terminal TRAF-binding and C-terminal death domains, assembles TNFR1 complex I (TRAF2, RIPK1) for NF-κB and complex II with FADD for apoptosis.

TRAIL

TRAIL (TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, Apo2L, CD253, TNFSF10) is a TNF-family cytokine that selectively induces apoptosis in tumor cells via death receptors DR4/DR5, with decoy receptors, immune surveillance roles, and cancer therapies like dulanermin.

Transfer-messenger RNA

Transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA, 10Sa/SsrA RNA) is a bacterial hybrid RNA with tRNA-like and mRNA-like domains that, with SmpB, rescues stalled ribosomes via trans-translation and tags incomplete proteins for degradation; universal in bacteria, absent in eukaryotes, and an antibiotic target.

Transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M

TRPM (melastatin) subfamily, TRPM1–TRPM8: eight mammalian TRP cation channels spanning divalent-selective, non-selective, and monovalent-only permeability, with kinase-linked TRPM6/7, cold sensor TRPM8, and kidney disease roles.

Oct 20, 2026

Transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 5

TRPV5 (ECaC, CaT2) is a kidney-specific, highly calcium-selective TRPV ion channel in the distal convoluted and connecting tubules, the rate-limiting apical entry step of renal calcium reabsorption, regulated by PTH, vitamin D, PIP2, calmodulin, and Klotho, and linked to kidney stone variants.

Transient transfection

Transient transfection is a cell biology method that introduces DNA or RNA into cultured cells without genomic integration, producing temporary expression that fades over several days.

Translation elongation factor P-like, YeiP

YeiP, renamed EfpL, is an E. coli EF-P paralog (29% identity) that rescues ribosomes stalled at proline motifs, senses metabolic state via lysine acylation, and co-occurs with EF-P in Proteobacteria.

Translational elongation

Translational elongation is the phase of protein synthesis in which a ribosome adds amino acids one at a time to a growing polypeptide chain as it reads messenger RNA.

Translocase of the outer membrane

Translocase of the outer membrane (TOM complex, TOMCC): the mitochondrial outer membrane protein entry gate, built on the Tom40 β-barrel with receptors Tom70, Tom22, Tom20; imports most nucleus-encoded mitochondrial precursors.

Transplastomic plant

Transplastomic plants carry foreign genes in the chloroplast (plastid) genome rather than the nucleus. First achieved in tobacco (1990), they use homologous recombination, biolistic delivery, and aadA/spectinomycin selection for very high transgene expression and maternal transgene containment.

Transport of fatty acids

Transport of fatty acids: movement of long-chain fatty acids across cell membranes by passive diffusion plus protein-facilitated uptake via FATPs (SLC27A1-6), CD36, and FABPpm, with cytoplasmic FABPs carrying them to oxidation and esterification sites.

Transport of small molecules

Transport of small molecules: movement of ions, gases, sugars, and metabolites across cell and organelle membranes by passive diffusion, channels, carriers, and SLC/ABC transporters; Reactome pathway R-HSA-382551.

Transport protein particle (TRAPP) component

TRAPP component: subunit of the transport/trafficking protein particle (TRAPP) complex, a conserved Rab GEF; TRAPPII activates Rab11, TRAPPIII activates Rab1; variants cause TRAPPopathies.

Treslin

Treslin, also known as TICRR, is an essential vertebrate protein that initiates DNA replication by loading CDC45 onto the MCM2-7 helicase to form the CMG helicase.

TRIC channel

TRIC (trimeric intracellular cation) channels, isoforms TRIC-A and TRIC-B, are trimeric intracellular K+-permeable counter-ion channels in SR/ER membranes that support calcium release; unrelated to the TRiC/CCT chaperonin.

Trichogen cell

A trichogen cell, also called the shaft or bristle cell, is an insect epidermal cell that secretes the cuticular hair, bristle, peg, or scale of a sensillum.

Sep 21, 2026

Trisha N. Davis

Trisha N. Davis, born 1954, is an American biochemist and professor emeritus at the University of Washington known for defining how calmodulin works in yeast and dissecting kinetochore machinery.

Tropoelastin

Tropoelastin, the soluble 60-72 kDa monomer precursor of elastin encoded by ELN, coacervates at physiological temperature and self-assembles into elastic fibers; it stretches up to eight times its resting length and underpins elastin-like polypeptide biomaterials.

Tropomodulin

Tropomodulin (Tmod), also called tropomodulin 1–4, is a ~40 kDa actin-binding protein family that caps the pointed (slow-growing) ends of actin filaments; unlike barbed-end cappers, Tmods require tropomyosin for tight capping and stabilize filament lengths in muscle and red blood cells.

Tropomyosin

Tropomyosin (Tm), a two-chained alpha-helical coiled-coil actin-binding protein from TPM1-4 genes, forms head-to-tail cables on actin filaments, spans 4-7 actins, regulates muscle contraction via steric blocking and cytoskeletal dynamics.

TRP channels

TRP channels (transient receptor potential channels): eukaryotic cation channel family, 27 human proteins in six subfamilies (TRPC, TRPV, TRPM, TRPA, TRPML, TRPP), tetrameric six-transmembrane sensors of temperature, chemicals, and pressure, discovered in Drosophila.

TRPV1

TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid 1, formerly VR1 or capsaicin receptor) is a calcium-permeable sensory ion channel gated by capsaicin, noxious heat above 43 °C, and protons; cloned in 1997, it regulates pain and body temperature, and its antagonists cause hyperthermia.

Trypan blue staining

Trypan blue staining is a dye-exclusion assay in which dead cells take up a blue dye, allowing rapid assessment of cell viability under a microscope.

TSA-seq

TSA-seq (tyramide signal amplification sequencing) is a genomic method, introduced in 2018, that uses tyramide radical labeling to measure cytological distances of chromosome loci from nuclear structures like speckles.

Tubulin

Tubulin: α/β heterodimer protein forming microtubules; discovered as the colchicine-binding protein (Borisy and Taylor, 1967; named by Mohri, 1968). GTP-driven dynamic instability, γTuRC nucleation, tubulin code PTMs, and target of taxane, vinca, and colchicine-site anticancer drugs.

Tumor necrosis factor

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF, TNFSF2): 17 kDa trimeric macrophage cytokine signaling via death-domain TNFR1 and survival-linked TNFR2; basis of the five-blocker anti-TNF drug class (~US $30 billion sales, 2022 estimate) and RIPK1-linked necroptosis research.

TUNEL assay

The TUNEL assay is a microscopy method that uses the enzyme TdT to label DNA strand breaks, detecting cell death in tissue since its 1992 introduction.