Cells in standby mode

Cells in standby mode


Researchers wanted to understand how cells switch on and off the standby mode. They focused their efforts on yeast cells, which they observed during starvation.

Their observation: The cytoplasm loses its dynamics, cell organelles and particles slow down and many proteins form large, microscopically visible structures. It seems as if the cytoplasm changes its consistency in response to nutrient deprivation.

And indeed: a closer look with highly sensitive biophysical methods shows that the material state of the cytoplasm changes from liquid to solid - the cell enters into a kind of rigor mortis. As it turns out, the cytoplasmic pH, which decreases markedly under starvation conditions, plays a crucial role in this process.

Remarkably, the sleeping cells - in contrast to dead cells - can also reverse this process. When nutrients are added back, the pH rises again, the cytoplasm fluidizes and cells continue to grow and divide.

The study shows that the state of the cytoplasm is crucial for switching on and off the standby mode: ''Cells seem to have a control mechanism in place, which they use for the regulation of their material properties in response to certain environmental cues, thereby ensuring their survival''. Thus, it seems to be possible to trick death by shutting down all processes of life in a controlled manner.

Whether this trick can be taught to human cells will become clear in the next couple of years.

https://www.mpg.de/10403175/cells-standby

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