In the article,
“A New Look at Proteins in Living Cells”, Professor, Nongjian Tao, of
Electrical Engineering and director of the Center for Bioelectronics and
Biosensors at Arizona State University’s Bio design Institute has developed a
new, innovative technique for observing membrane proteins and their binding
forms. Proteins are essential in the human cell in order to carry out several
functions as well as a communication beacon to identify “pre-symptomatic” ‘presences
of cancers and other diseases’. Professor Tao’s new method of analyzing protein
interactions on the surface of a cell is denoted as: “SPR Microscopy”. This
approach will ultimately improve and develop the knowledge of cell-pathogen
interactions as well as advancing new drugs. An advantage that Tao’s method of
examination has is expressed as
‘label-based’ and ‘label-free’ observation. In other terms, Tao can
observe membrane protein distribution optically and fluorescently. With this
technique resolution plays an important role. SPR Microscopy analyzes at
millisecond resolution allowing for optimal observation of ‘spatial
distribution’ (distribution of organisms) and exactly what the protein is
doing. "Cells are different from tissues which are different from human
beings, but at least now we can move from a system on the surface of a glass slide
to an actual cell surface" (Tao, Nongjian).
*Information obtained at www.biologynews.net
*Pictures obtained at www.scienceblogs.com & www.nist.gov
Figure 1.1
Figure 1.2
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