Depth perception

Dr Pauline Bennett & Dr Amanda Wilson, Kings College, London

Runner up British Heart Foundation Reflections of Research competition 2010

Heart muscle cells connect to each other through a complex, undulating membrane system called the intercalated disc. Special junctions allow the muscle cells to communicate with each other with chemical, electrical and mechanical signals. This communication is vital for co-ordinating the beating of the heart.

In this video we step through the depths of a high resolution electron microscope image from several different intercalated discs. Moving busily with protein filaments and packages of signalling chemicals, these show how dynamic the communications are between one cell and the next.

"The connections between heart muscle cells are subject to a lot of strain. With the support of the BHF, were examining how the junctions between heart muscle cells are organised in healthy and diseased heart tissue."

Dr Pauline Bennett

Category:

Science & Technology

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• Depth
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