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Visualizing the inside of cells at previously impossible resolutions provides vivid insights into how they work

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Summary

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) are allowing researchers to visualize the intricate and complex molecular activity of cells at previously impossible resolutions. The technique has already been used to study how proteins move and are degraded inside cells, and it is hoped that further technological developments and increased accessibility will allow researchers to study the link between cellular structure and function in greater detail. Cryo-EM won the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and has enabled researchers to gain better insights into how cells work.

Q&As

What are the challenges of visualizing the inside of cells at high resolutions?
The challenge of visualizing the inside of cells at high resolutions is that there has been a resolution gap between a cell's smallest structures, such as the cytoskeleton that supports the cell's shape, and its largest structures, such as the ribosomes that make proteins in cells.

What techniques have been developed to bridge the resolution gap between a cell's smallest and largest structures?
Techniques that have been developed to bridge the resolution gap between a cell's smallest and largest structures include cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and correlated light and electron microscopy (CLEM).

What is cryo-electron microscopy and cryo-electron tomography?
Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) uses a camera to detect how a beam of electrons is deflected as the electrons pass through a sample to visualize structures at the molecular level. Samples are rapidly frozen to protect them from radiation damage. Cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) shares similar components with cryo-EM but uses different methods. It involves thinning a region of interest in a cell with an ion beam and then tilting the sample to take multiple pictures of it at different angles, which are then combined by a computer to produce a 3D image of a portion of the cell.

How has cryo-electron microscopy been used to study and understand how cells function?
Cryo-electron microscopy has been used to show how proteins move and are degraded inside an algal cell, and to facilitate image interpretation by predicting protein structures that have not yet been characterized.

How might further technological developments and increasing accessibility of cryo-electron microscopy allow researchers to explore the link between cellular structure and function?
Further technological developments and increasing accessibility of cryo-electron microscopy will allow researchers to examine the link between cellular structure and function at previously inaccessible levels of detail. This will enable researchers to tackle key questions in cell biology with different strategies, such as comparing the genetic difference between cells to understand how cells interact with each other.

AI Comments

👍 This article offers a comprehensive overview of the impressive advancements in cryo-electron microscopy and their implications for cell biology research.

👎 Although the article is well-written, it does not provide enough detail about the limitations of cryo-electron microscopy and how they can be addressed.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about a new technique called cryo-electron tomography that researchers are using to visualize the inside of cells at previously impossible resolutions. It's providing them with vivid insights into how cells work.

Friend: That's really interesting! What are some of the implications of this technology?

Me: Well, researchers will be able to tackle some key questions in cell biology with different strategies. They'll be able to look at cells that are unable to carry out particular functions and see how this is reflected in their structure, and they'll be able to study how cells interact with each other. This could lead to new theories about how we understand cells and give us a better understanding of how they work. It could also lead to new medical treatments and therapies.

Action items

Research cryo-electron microscopy and other imaging techniques to gain a better understanding of how they can be used to visualize cell structures.
Explore the use of correlated light and electron microscopy (CLEM) to study the genetic differences between cells and how they interact with each other.
Investigate the potential of combining cryo-EM with artificial intelligence programs to automate the process of image interpretation and protein structure prediction.

Technical terms

Molecular Biology: The study of the structure, function, and interactions of molecules in living organisms.
Nobel Prize: An annual award given to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to a particular field.
Biomedical Research: Research that focuses on the study of biological processes related to health and disease.
Proteins: Large molecules composed of amino acids that are essential for the structure, function, and regulation of the body’s cells, tissues, and organs.
Cells: The basic unit of life, consisting of a nucleus and cytoplasm surrounded by a membrane.
Cell Biology: The study of the structure, function, and behavior of cells.
Electron Microscopy: A type of microscopy that uses a beam of electrons to produce an image of a specimen.
Modeling: The process of creating a representation of a system or process.
Research Methods: The techniques and procedures used to conduct research.
Cryo-electron Microscopy: A type of electron microscopy that uses a beam of electrons to produce an image of a specimen that has been rapidly frozen.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy: A technique used to study the structure and dynamics of molecules.
Microscope: An instrument used to magnify objects.
X-ray Crystallography: A technique used to determine the three-dimensional structure of molecules.
Visualization: The process of creating a visual representation of data or information.
Cell Structure: The arrangement of components within a cell.
Cyro-electron Microscope: A type of electron microscope that uses a beam of electrons to produce an image of a specimen that has been rapidly frozen.