New data analysis technique distinguishes active from passive fluctuations inside cells
Thursday, April 28, 2016 - 13:20
in Physics & Chemistry
Inside every living cell, internal structures are continuously moving about. Under a microscope, organelles such as the nucleus, mitochondria, transport vesicles, or even external flagella wobble and twitch. This may happen spontaneously as these tiny structures are passively jostled inside a cell. But that's not necessarily all there is to it. Often a cell invests extra energy into these motions to enhance cell functions in ways we don't yet understand.