Biological complexity: cell grow or die controls (Introduction)

by David Turell , Saturday, February 23, 2019, 20:34 (1888 days ago) @ David Turell

Very exact automatic controls:

https://phys.org/news/2019-02-illinois-growth-factors-cells.html

Whether healthy or diseased, human cells exhibit behaviors and processes that are largely dictated by growth factor molecules, which bind to receptors on the cells. For example, growth factors tell the cells to divide, move, and when to die—a process known as apoptosis.

***

"'It is believed that cells respond to growth factors at extreme levels of sensitivity," said University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Bioengineering Associate Professor Andrew Smith. "For example, a single molecule will result in a major change in cell behavior."

***

"'We showed the first direct cause-and-effect relationships of growth factors in single cells," he said. "We expect the outcomes to lead to a new understanding of cell signaling, how cells respond to drugs, and why cell populations become resistant to drugs, particularly toward improved treatments for cancer."

"Smith's technology platform tags each growth factor with a single engineered (10 nanometer) infrared fluorescent quantum dot, which can then be viewed using a three-dimensional microscope. In their study, they counted how many epidermal growth factor (EGF) molecules bound to human triple-negative breast cancer cells that were pre-patterned on island-like surfaces.

"EGF molecules typically signal cell division and lead to tissue growth. Numerous cancers have mutations in their EGF receptors."

Comment: A other example of precise automatic control of cells.