Layered liquids: Reaction chambers for gene regulation
Thursday, March 12, 2020 - 07:11
in Biology & Nature
A marvel of complexity, the nucleus is the command center of the cell—harboring information, codes and controlled access. But different from man-made command centers, the nuclear interior looks chaotic to the eye of a scientist. Chromosomes, the carriers of genetic information, float amidst a sea of water, proteins, nucleic acids and other molecules, all engaged in a myriad of simultaneous reactions. These reactions have one major goal: to turn genes on and off at the right time and place. This process is called gene regulation and makes a brain cell look and act different from a muscle cell or a liver cell.