scholarly journals A microscopic view of the cell

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (21) ◽  
pp. 3183-3184
Author(s):  
Bo Huang

Light microscopy has long been an indispensable tool for cell biology research. From biological problems to biological knowledge, there are two more critical links in the light microscopy approach: labeling and quantitative analysis. Therefore, an integrative approach is desirable in order to deal with practical challenges in biological light microscopy.

Author(s):  
Conly L. Rieder

The behavior of many cellular components, and their dynamic interactions, can be characterized in the living cell with considerable spatial and temporal resolution by video-enhanced light microscopy (video-LM). Indeed, under the appropriate conditions video-LM can be used to determine the real-time behavior of organelles ≤ 25-nm in diameter (e.g., individual microtubules—see). However, when pushed to its limit the structures and components observed within the cell by video-LM cannot be resolved nor necessarily even identified, only detected. Positive identification and a quantitative analysis often requires the corresponding electron microcopy (EM).


2002 ◽  
Vol 42 (supplement2) ◽  
pp. S223
Author(s):  
M. Sokabe ◽  
H. Tatsumi

2008 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-121
Author(s):  
Ragini Raj Singh ◽  
◽  
Amit Ron ◽  
Nick Fishelson ◽  
Irena Shur ◽  
...  

Dielectric spectroscopy (DS) of living biological cells is based on the analysis of cells suspended in a physiological medium. It provides knowledge of the polarization-relaxation response of the cells to external electric field as function of the excitation frequency. This response is strongly affected by both structural and molecular properties of the cells and, therefore, can reveal rare insights into cell physiology and behaviour. This study demonstrates the mapping potential of DS after cytoplasmic and membranal markers for cell-based screening analysis. The effect of membrane permittivity and cytoplasm conductivity was examined using tagged MBA and MDCK cell lines respectively. The comparison of the dielectric spectra of tagged and native cell lines reveals clear differences between the cells. In addition, the differences in the matching dielectric properties of the cells were discovered. Those findings support the high distinction resolution and sensitivity of DS after fine molecular and cellular changes, and hence, highlight the high potential of DS as non invasive screening tool in cell biology research.


2009 ◽  
Vol 187 (5) ◽  
pp. 589-596 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karmella A. Haynes ◽  
Pamela A. Silver

Synthetic biology aims to engineer novel cellular functions by assembling well-characterized molecular parts (i.e., nucleic acids and proteins) into biological “devices” that exhibit predictable behavior. Recently, efforts in eukaryotic synthetic biology have sprung from foundational work in bacteria. Designing synthetic circuits to operate reliably in the context of differentiating and morphologically complex cells presents unique challenges and opportunities for progress in the field. This review surveys recent advances in eukaryotic synthetic biology and describes how synthetic systems can be linked to natural cellular processes in order to manipulate cell behavior and to foster new discoveries in cell biology research.


1998 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 41-44
Author(s):  
Rita R. Hannah ◽  
Martha L. Jennens-Clough ◽  
Keith V. Wood

In cell biology research and pharmaceutical discovery, physiological responses of mammalian cells are commonly screened using transcriptional assays. Although firefly luciferase is widely used because of its rapid and simple assay, greater precision can be achieved using a second reporter as an internal control. Renilla luciferase serves as an efficient internal control because it can be measured as easily and rapidly using the same instrument. The Dual-Luciferase™ Reporter (DLR™) Assay developed at Promega measures both reporters sequentially within each sample, which eliminates the need to separate the test sample into aliquots for each assay. The expression of each reporter is independently quantitated using selective assay conditions based on their distinctive chemical characteristics. The firefly luciferase is initiated first by the addition of LAR II to the sample or cell lysate. Following measurement of the luminescent output, the firefly reaction is rapidly quenched and the Renilla reaction is simultaneously activated by addition of Stop & Glo™ Reagent, and the luminescence is measured a second time. The DLR™ Assay allows quantitation of both reporters within 4 seconds per well using a 96-well luminometer equipped with two reagent injectors. Multi-well plates may be processed even more rapidly using a CCD-based imaging system.


1992 ◽  
Vol 31 (01) ◽  
pp. 36-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Sandblad ◽  
H.P. Meinzer

Abstract:Biological and biomedical tissues and organs represent very complex and highly dynamic systems. The problem to model such complex systems is twofold. First, it is necessary to identify and describe the biological properties and the connecting control mechanisms of the studied system and its subparts. Here, biological knowledge is often missing. Secondly, we are confronted with the problem to formulate the model of the control structure in a form that allows model analysis. Here, a normal mathematical formalism is often inadequate. To solve these modelling problems and to develop methods for building models of complex control structures that will enable the formulation of dynamic systems in biology, a framework for building such models is presented. The model framework is here mainly used for studies of dynamic cell structures, but the possible application areas are more general. An example is given for modelling cell structures of epithelial tissues in the intestine.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (166) ◽  
pp. 20200013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoe Schofield ◽  
Gabriel N. Meloni ◽  
Peter Tran ◽  
Christian Zerfass ◽  
Giovanni Sena ◽  
...  

The last five decades of molecular and systems biology research have provided unprecedented insights into the molecular and genetic basis of many cellular processes. Despite these insights, however, it is arguable that there is still only limited predictive understanding of cell behaviours. In particular, the basis of heterogeneity in single-cell behaviour and the initiation of many different metabolic, transcriptional or mechanical responses to environmental stimuli remain largely unexplained. To go beyond the status quo , the understanding of cell behaviours emerging from molecular genetics must be complemented with physical and physiological ones, focusing on the intracellular and extracellular conditions within and around cells. Here, we argue that such a combination of genetics, physics and physiology can be grounded on a bioelectrical conceptualization of cells. We motivate the reasoning behind such a proposal and describe examples where a bioelectrical view has been shown to, or can, provide predictive biological understanding. In addition, we discuss how this view opens up novel ways to control cell behaviours by electrical and electrochemical means, setting the stage for the emergence of bioelectrical engineering.


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