Introducing the brain: our ingenious research tricks (Introduction)

by David Turell , Friday, June 11, 2021, 20:09 (1259 days ago) @ David Turell

Using fluorescence to depict cells and their functions:

https://us17.campaign-archive.com/?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d&id=d53d405e33&e=...

"This microscope image shows a neural stem cell — the largest, brightest cell, towards the right — from a Drosophila fruit fly. The cell’s progeny trail to the left in a cluster resembling a bunch of grapes. Fluorescent markers have been embedded in the cells’ membranes so researchers can see how they divide. Such high-resolution imaging has captured the cells’ mechanical motions as they make neurons in the developing brain. “We discovered that stem cells have more in common with real machines on a factory floor than previously appreciated, in that they undergo a mechanical cycle when producing each neuron,” says biochemist Ken Prehoda."

This is how the authors describe their results:

https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(21)00485-X?_returnURL=https%3A%2F...

"Our results indicate that the neuroblast membrane plays a role in polarity initiation and maintenance. We observed recruitment of aPKC to apical membrane domains and retention of aPKC at these domains even in the absence of the actin cytoskeleton. While aPKC is also recruited to apical sites outside of membrane domains, this “diffuse” aPKC requires the actin cytoskeleton and rapidly depolarizes in the presence of LatA. Furthermore, when membrane domains are ablated with cyclodextrin, polarity is significantly reduced. Thus, we propose that the two pools of membrane-bound aPKC, diffuse and membrane-domain associated, work together to initiate and maintain apical neuroblast polarity. Given that the membrane density appears to be higher at domain sites, the extended maintenance at domains could arise simply from an initially higher concentration of aPKC. Further work will be necessary to understand if domain-associated aPKC is mechanistically distinct from its diffuse counterpart."

Comment: They have used invented techniques to pick it apart molecule by molecule. Please look at the first website to see the microphotograph of a fluorescent stem cell. Cell intelligence (dhw theory) can't create this. Only a highly-advanced designing mind can.