Scientists discover atomic-resolution details of brain signaling
Monday, August 17, 2015 - 17:30
in Biology & Nature
This image shows equipment used in a highly automated, robotic X-ray crystallography system at SLAC's Linac Coherent Light Source X-ray laser. Scientists have revealed never-before-seen details of how our brain sends rapid-fire messages between its cells. They mapped the 3-D atomic structure of a two-part protein complex that controls the release of signaling chemicals, called neurotransmitters, from brain cells. Understanding how cells release those signals in less than one-thousandth of a second could help launch a new wave of research on drugs for treating brain disorders.