The microscopic details of the filaments that make up the cytoskeleton of a cell can now be accurately determined thanks to a new technique developed by researchers from the University of California, San Diego. The new method, published in the journal Nature Communications, allows researchers to measure the width, length, and local curvature of individual filaments in the cytoskeleton with unprecedented accuracy. This could lead to a better understanding of how cells use their cytoskeletons to move, divide, and communicate.

The cytoskeleton is a complex network of proteins that give a cell its shape and structure. It is composed of several types of filaments and tubules, and the precise properties of each filament type can vary from cell to cell. This new technique allows researchers to measure these properties with unprecedented accuracy, which could open up new possibilities for studying the role of the cytoskeleton in cell behavior.

Read Full Article Here

source: Phys.org