Sticky Business: Researchers Devise New Way Of Mapping The Viscosity Of Cells
Thursday, May 29, 2008 - 21:07
in Biology & Nature
A fluorescent dye can be used to map how viscous, or 'gloopy', different parts of a cell are, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Changes in viscosity have been linked to disease and malfunction in human cells. For example, changes in the viscosity of the membranes of red blood cells have been observed in diabetes patients. Knowing more about these changes could lead to a greater understanding of how some diseases affect the human body.