Simple membranes could have allowed nutrients to pass into primitive cells
Wednesday, June 4, 2008 - 16:35
in Biology & Nature
When the first cells developed, how could they bring molecules from the environment into their living interior without the specialized structures found on the modern cell membrane? A research team from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has found that the sort of very simple membrane that may have been present on primitive cells can easily allow small molecules – including the building blocks of RNA and DNA – to pass thorough. Their report will appear in the journal Nature and is receiving early online release.