A new chapter has been added to the study of cellular and interstitial communication, as the three-dimensional structure of proteins that control intercellular interactions in the lens of the eye has been discovered.

These proteins are known to play a role in regulating information coming into and out of cells.

According to the findings, it is expected that another breakthrough will be made to treat cataract, stroke and cancer.

Separation of cell membrane protein and confirmation of three-dimensional structure

Steve Reichow, assistant professor of chemistry at the State University of Pennsylvania in the United States, has confirmed that at the atomic level, the transport tunnels in the cell membrane protein channel, that is, the cell wall.

The study utilized the millions of dollars of low-temperature electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) and new technology developed by three Nobel Prize winning biophysicists.

In this study, supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the team created a three-dimensional image of the cell membrane channel, providing the basis for a better understanding of the processes involved in communication between cells.

The study was published in the journal Science, Nature. Related video

“We know very little about how cell membrane proteins work,” he said. “By separating proteins from cell membranes with new technologies and studying the three-dimensional structure, We have confirmed the structure and function characteristics of our products. ”

To do this, the researchers used proteins obtained from the eye lens tissues of sheep and goats.

Protein channel dysfunction ”

“By using images from this study, we can open a way to treat many types of diseases related to gap junction protein, cellular communication dysfunction,” Professor Raikow said. Related diseases include cataracts, heart arrhythmia, stroke, and certain cancers.

“There is currently no drug available to activate or block the gap junction protein on the market,” he said. “But this discovery may someday control other diseases, such as heart disease, that are associated with dysfunction or misregulation of these protein channels. A new drug can be developed. ”

Professor Liechow has established a method to characterize the protein, and is now working to understand how different tissues and organs in our body use gap connections differently.

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