Biology Is Not Flat: Exploring Cells In 3-D
Tuesday, October 19, 2010 - 11:33
in Biology & Nature
Cells and tissues grow, develop and interact in a 3-D world, why not study them that way? The methods of culturing and studying human cells have traditionally been carried out on flat impermeable surfaces and those techniques have obviously produced a steady stream of critical insight into cell behavior and the mechanisms of infection and disease, but those cell cultures have limitations inreproducing the tissue environment in vivo. Researcher Cheryl Nickerson and her team at the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University highlight an innovative approach for studying cells in 3-D in order to better understand disease onset and progression, particularly the responses of host cells to infectious pathogens. read more