News in 2024
- Cryo-electron microscopy reveals novel cytoskeletal structures in human cells 16 July 2024 In a pioneering study using advanced imaging techniques, including cryo-electron tomography (cryoET) and cryo-focused ion beam milling with scanning electron microscopy (cryoFIB-SEM), researchers at the University of Bristol have illuminated a fascinating aspect of cellular architecture, revealing new insights into the interactions between the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons, which are crucial for cell division, migration, and intracellular transport. Traditionally, it was believed that these interactions were primarily mediated by proteins that directly link or signal between these two dynamic networks. However, emerging evidence suggests an additional mechanism where F-actin, a polymerized form of actin, assembles within the lumen of microtubules to form composite structures.