Endoplasmic reticulum: Scientists image 'parking garage' helix structure in protein-making factory
Thursday, July 18, 2013 - 12:30
in Physics & Chemistry
The endoplasmic reticulum is the protein-making factory within cells consisting of tightly stacked sheets of membrane studded with the molecules that make proteins. Now, researchers have refined a new microscopy imaging method to visualize exactly how the ER sheets are stacked, revealing that the 3D structure of the sheets resembles a parking garage. This structure allows for the dense packing of ER sheets, maximizing the amount of space available for protein synthesis.