The complex dance of electrical signals inside the cell holds the key to many questions about diseases and disorders, but they are difficult to understand – so a team of U.S. scientists discovered a way to hear them. Credit: Christoph Bergstat / Shutterstock
Electricity is a major component in the living body. We know that voltage differences are important in biological systems; They drive the heartbeat and allow neurons to communicate with each other. But for decades, it was not possible to measure the voltage differences between the membranes-wrapped structures inside the organelles-cell and the rest of the cell.
A leading technique developed by Uichikogo scientists, however, allows researchers to examine cells to see how many different organelles use voltage to perform functions.
“Scientists have long noticed that the charge dyes used for staining cells would get stuck in the mitochondria,” explained Anand Saminath, the first author for the paper and a graduate student Nature nanotechnology. “But little has been done to investigate the membrane potential of other organelles in living cells.”
The Krishnan Lab at Uchikogo specializes in making small sensors to travel inside cells and reporting what is happening, so that researchers can understand how cells work – and how they break down into disease or disorder. Previously, they built such machines to study neurons and lysosomes, among others.
In this case, they decided to use the technique to investigate the electrical activities of organelles inside living cells.
In the membrane of neurons, there are proteins called ion channels that act as gateways for charged ions to enter and exit the cell. These channels are essential for communicating. Previous research has shown that organelles have similar ion channels, but we are not sure what role they played.
A new tool for researchers, called Voltaire, makes it possible to do more research on this question. It acts as a voltmeter to measure the voltage difference between two different areas inside the cell. Voltaire is built outside of DNA, which means it can go straight into the cell and access deep structures.
In their initial study, researchers explored membrane potential – the difference in voltage across an organelle. They have found evidence of such potential in many organelles, such as trans-Golgi networks and recycling endosomes, such as membranes previously thought to be non-existent.
“So I think the membrane could potentially play a big role in the organelles – maybe it helps the organelles communicate,” said Pro, an expert on nucleic acid-based nuclear devices. Yamuna told Krishna.
Their study is just the beginning, the authors said; Voltaire provides a way for researchers in many fields to answer questions they may never have been able to ask. It can also be used in plants.
“This new development will at least start a conversation, and could also inspire a new field of research,” Saminath said.
Understanding ‘membranes’ in membraneless organelles
Anand Saminathan et al. DNA based voltmeter for organelles, Nature nanotechnology (2020). DOI: 10.1038 / s41565-020-00784-1
Provided by the University of Chicago
Testimonial: Scientists have guided a new method of measuring electricity in cells (2020, December 24) from 25 December 2020 https://phys.org/news/2020-12- Scientists- Believers- Selection-Cells. Html
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