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4 October 2023

Immerse yourself in the cytoskeleton

Large Research Facilities Biology Health Innovation Medical Science Fundamentals of Nature

The human body consists of around 30 trillion cells – all of them highly complex structures with a wide variety of shapes and functions. What they all have in common is the cytoskeleton.

The name skeleton seems misleading – since the cytoskeleton is in fact not a rigid framework but rather a very dynamic structure. It not only ensures the cell’s mechanical stabilisation and external shape, but also plays a central role in transport within the cell as well as in cell division.

Of particular importance for cell division are the so-called microtubules. These tubular protein complexes are a significant component of the cytoskeleton. However, it is not only the healthy cells that they help to multiply; cancer cells and pathogens, for example, are also able to divide with the aid of the microtubules.

For this reason, researchers at PSI are using the large research facilities to find docking sites for new drugs. This could make it possible, for example, block the degradation of microtubules and prevent the division of diseased cells.

Immerse yourself with us in the world of cells and find out what functions the cytoskeleton performs and how investigating it could enable the development of highly effective drugs.
(Video: Paul Scherrer Institute/Monika Blétry)

You can find out more about this topic in the current issue of our magazine 5232 issue 3/2023.

Text: Paul Scherrer Institute/Benjamin A. Senn

5232 3/2023

5232 — The magazine of the Paul Scherrer Institute

03/2023
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Further information

  • How to find anti-cancer agents – media release from 12 April 2022
  • Cell skeleton as target for new active agents – media release from 6 May 2021
  • Ticket für die Reise durch die Zelle – media release (in German) from 24 July 2009

Contact

Prof. Dr. Michel Steinmetz
Head of the Laboratory for Biomolecular Research
Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
Telephone: +41 56 310 47 54, e-mail: michel.steinmetz@psi.ch [German, English]

Copyright

PSI provides image and/or video material free of charge for media coverage of the content of the above text. Use of this material for other purposes is not permitted. This also  includes the transfer of the image and video material into databases as well as sale by third parties.

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5232 3/2023

5232 — The magazine of the Paul Scherrer Institute

03/2023
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