How the Brain Cell Works: A Dive Into Its Inner Network

[TECH NEWS]

University of Miami (UM) biology professor Akira Chiba is leading a multidisciplinary team to develop the first systematic survey of protein interactions within brain cells. The team is aiming to reconstruct genome-wide in situ protein-protein interaction networks (isPIN) within the neurons of a multicellular organism (fruit fly). Preliminary data were presented at the American Society for Cell Biology annual meeting, December 3 through 7, 2011, in Denver, Colorado. “This work brings us closer to understanding the mechanics of molecules that keep us functioning,” says Chiba, principal investigator of this project. “Knowing how our cells work will improve medicine. Most importantly, we will gain a better understanding of what life is at the molecular level.” Neurons are the cells that are mainly responsible for signaling in the brain. Like all other cells, each neuron produces millions of individual proteins that associate with one another and form a complex communication network. Until recently, observing these protein-protein interactions had not been possible due to technical difficulties. Now, Chiba and his collaborators have developed a novel methodology to examine interaction of individual proteins.

Dec 12, 2011, University of Miami