What Are the New Discoveries in Human Biology? - with Dan Davis
The Royal Institution・2 minutes read
The significance of unseen elements, like the ball in football, is discussed to make sense of complex systems, such as the human body, as highlighted in the book "The Secret Body" through advancements like the GFP gene, super-resolution microscopes, and cell analysis instruments. These innovations have led to groundbreaking discoveries in understanding cellular functions, immune responses, and diseases, with the Human Cell Atlas project paving the way for personalized healthcare based on individual cell characteristics.
Insights
- Postulating unseen elements, like the ball in football, is crucial to understanding complex systems, such as the human body, as highlighted in "The Secret Body" book, which delves into six levels of human body comprehension.
- The development of super-resolution microscopes by scientists like Eric Betzig and Harold Hess has revolutionized cell imaging, enabling detailed visualization of cellular processes, intricate protein interactions, and cytoskeleton rearrangement, with implications for cancer treatment and immune responses.
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Recent questions
What is the significance of the GFP discovery?
The discovery of green fluorescent protein (GFP) in jellyfish and its subsequent use in scientific research revolutionized the visualization of specific cells within organisms. By making cells glow green, researchers were able to track and study individual cells and proteins in living organisms, providing valuable insights into cellular processes and interactions. Despite initial skepticism, the GFP discovery paved the way for advancements in cell imaging and understanding complex biological systems.
How did Len and Lee Hertzenberg contribute to cell analysis?
Len and Lee Hertzenberg developed a cell sorting instrument called "The Wizard," which revolutionized cell analysis in hospitals and labs. This instrument allowed for the individual analysis of immune cells based on properties like color and size, enabling researchers to classify different cell populations based on protein levels. The Wizard's innovative technology significantly advanced the understanding of cell types and their functions, leading to breakthroughs in medical research and diagnostics.
What is the goal of the Human Cell Atlas project?
The Human Cell Atlas project, led by Avi Regev, aims to map all 37 trillion cells in the human body to understand their functions comprehensively. By categorizing and studying cells from various parts of the body, researchers hope to identify different cell types, their roles in health and disease, and how they interact within the body. This deep understanding of cells and their functions is expected to revolutionize medical practices, potentially leading to personalized healthcare based on individual cell characteristics.
How did Eric Betzig and Harold Hess revolutionize cell imaging?
Eric Betzig and Harold Hess developed a revolutionary super-resolution microscope that surpassed the diffraction limit, enabling high-resolution imaging of individual molecules in cells. By using a unique imaging technique and basic materials, they visualized intricate protein interactions at cell contacts, shedding light on immune responses and cell-cell communication. Their microscope transformed cell imaging, allowing detailed visualization of cellular processes and providing valuable insights into biological systems.
What impact did the discovery of Revlimid have on cancer treatment?
Revlimid, also known as Lenolidomide, is a derivative of thalidomide used to treat multiple myeloma by enhancing immune cells' ability to kill cancer cells. This cancer drug has been particularly beneficial for patients with Chijakugashi syndrome, a genetic disease that weakens immune cells' killing ability. By opening up actin mesh lines in immune cells, Revlimid helps these cells kill infected or cancerous cells more effectively, highlighting the significant impact of this discovery on cancer treatment and patient outcomes.
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Summary
00:00
Unseen Elements: Key to Understanding Complex Systems
- An analogy is presented where an alien with a powerful telescope observes a football match but cannot see the ball, leading to confusion until the concept of the ball is postulated.
- The text discusses the importance of postulating unseen elements, like the ball in football, to make sense of complex systems, such as the human body.
- The author introduces the book "The Secret Body," focusing on six levels of understanding the human body, including cells, embryos, organs, tissues, the brain, and the microbiome.
- The development of microscopes, starting with Robert Hooke's work in 1665, is highlighted, along with the limitations of light microscopes due to the nature of light.
- Osamu Shimamura's discovery of green fluorescent protein (GFP) in jellyfish in 1962 is detailed, leading to the potential use of GFP in other organisms.
- Martin Chalfie's interest in GFP in 1989 and his collaboration with Douglas Prasher to isolate the gene encoding GFP are discussed.
- Guellin's successful experiment in 1992, where she made bacteria glow green using the GFP gene, is described.
- Johan Twos' Nobel Prize-winning experiment involved inserting the GFP gene into touch receptor neurons of C. elegans, resulting in green glowing neurons.
- The significance of the GFP discovery in visualizing specific cells within organisms is emphasized, despite initial lack of excitement from others.
- Tula Hazlerig's contribution to understanding the structure and function of GFP, leading to its widespread use in scientific research, is highlighted.
17:55
Revolutionizing Cell Imaging with Super-Resolution Microscopes
- A scientist conducted an experiment involving a gene for a green glowing protein, which became widely used in biology labs.
- By attaching the green glowing gene to other proteins, a method was developed to visualize individual protein molecules inside cells.
- Roger Chen created different colored versions of the green glowing protein, expanding its applications.
- Martin Chalfie and Roger Chen won the Nobel Prize for their work, with Doug Prasher also contributing significantly.
- Eric Betzig and Harold Hess developed a revolutionary microscope that could surpass the diffraction limit, enabling high-resolution imaging of individual molecules in cells.
- Eric Betzig's inspiration to return to science came from reading about using the green glowing protein to label other proteins within cells.
- Eric Betzig and Harold Hess built their microscope in Hess's living room, using basic materials and a unique imaging technique to visualize individual molecules.
- The microscope was later moved to Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz's lab, where it quickly generated data leading to Eric Betzig winning a Nobel Prize.
- The super-resolution microscopes developed by Betzig and others have transformed cell imaging, allowing detailed visualization of cellular processes.
- Research utilizing these microscopes has revealed intricate protein interactions at cell contacts, shedding light on immune responses and cell-cell communication.
33:34
Revlimid enhances immune cell killing ability
- Super resolution microscopes allow visualization of cytoskeleton rearrangement in cells.
- Actin mesh lines move apart in immune cells when activated to release toxic molecules for killing cancer cells.
- Lenolidomide, also known as Revlimid, is a derivative of thalidomide used to treat multiple myeloma.
- Revlimid enhances immune cells' ability to kill cancer cells by opening up the actin mesh lines.
- Genetic disease Chijakugashi syndrome weakens immune cells' ability to kill infected or cancerous cells.
- Patients with Chijakugashi syndrome have larger toxic protein packets in immune cells, hindering killing ability.
- Cancer drug Revlimid helps immune cells from Chijakugashi syndrome patients kill cells more effectively.
- Len and Lee Hertzenberg developed a cell sorting instrument called "The Wizard" to analyze immune cells individually.
- The Wizard sorts cells based on properties like color and size, revolutionizing cell analysis in hospitals and labs.
- Cell analysis based on protein levels allows classification of different cell populations, aiding in understanding cell types.
50:13
Unveiling the Diversity of Human Cells
- Cells in the body look similar but differ based on the proteins they contain, which are determined by the genes they use.
- Neurons and immune cells, for example, use different sets of genes to produce the proteins specific to their functions.
- Advancements in science now allow for the analysis of which genes a cell is using, leading to the identification of different cell types.
- The Human Cell Atlas project, led by Avi Regev, aims to map all 37 trillion cells in the human body to understand their functions.
- Through this project, new cells, like the one found in the trachea, have been discovered, shedding light on diseases like cystic fibrosis.
- Researchers, including Hanifa, are studying cells in various parts of the body, such as the skin, to categorize them and understand their role in health and disease.
- The deep understanding of cells and their functions is expected to impact medical practices and personal health choices, potentially leading to personalized healthcare based on individual cell characteristics.
