The Inner Life of a Cell

[BrokenVisage]

http://aimediaserver.com/studi...ly/harvard/harvard.swf

As small as cells are it's incredible to think about how much stuff has to happen at such an insignificant level to develop life as we know it. This is a neat little flash video of the crazy things that happen inside these things 24/7, the constant chemical reactions acting like cogs inside a machine, just doing what they've been programmed to do.

To give you an idea on how small these cells are..

There are ~10^14 atoms in an ordinary human cell, which = 100,000,000,000,000 or 100 TRILLION atoms. And in case you were wondering, there are about the same number of cells in the average human body. That's 100 trillion cells all operating at the same time to keep you alive and moving. Feeling grateful yet?

Originally posted by: homercles337
Here is a link to the same video with a voice over explaining what is going on...

Click on the Super Speed Version at the top left...

 

[DnetMHZ]

Looks pretty interesting. Is there sound to it? (My speakers at work are broken)

 

[Mxylplyx]

Some voiceover providing context to what you are looking at would be nice.

 

[trmiv]

Cool to look at, but it would be cool to know what the hell is going on. Like are those those big ass slug things being pulled by the walking things?

 

[manowar821]

Very cool!!

 

[LordSnailz]

wow that was cool ... anyone know what song that is?

 

[Skunkwourk]

Originally posted by: trmiv
Cool to look at, but it would be cool to know what the hell is going on. Like are those those big ass slug things being pulled by the walking things?

ditto, need more context

 

[Mr Pickles]

Originally posted by: m0mentary

Originally posted by: trmiv
Cool to look at, but it would be cool to know what the hell is going on. Like are those those big ass slug things being pulled by the walking things?

ditto, need more context

Perhaps the video was meant to be played while someone explained it at a meeting.

 

[Aharami]

Originally posted by: BrokenVisage
Feeling grateful yet?

No. my cells are my bitches. They do my bidding. I am the master of their domain.




on a more serious note, yea it is pretty amazing how everything works together inside the human body to keep us going. We truly are the most complex machines

 

[SuperSix]

Originally posted by: trmiv
Cool to look at, but it would be cool to know what the hell is going on. Like are those those big ass slug things being pulled by the walking things?

Exactly. To the untrained person, without any narrative at all - it's just a pretty animation.

 

[ViviTheMage]

slick

 

[BrokenVisage]

Originally posted by: SuperSix

Originally posted by: trmiv
Cool to look at, but it would be cool to know what the hell is going on. Like are those those big ass slug things being pulled by the walking things?

Exactly. To the untrained person, without any narrative at all - it's just a pretty animation.

Well apparently this came from Harvard so if you'd like a little informative narration along with the graphics you may have to pay for some kind of molecular biology course or something.

 

[homercles337]

Here is a link to the same video with a voice over explaining what is going on...

Click on the Super Speed Version at the top left...

 

[novasatori]

oldie but goodie

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: trmiv
Cool to look at, but it would be cool to know what the hell is going on. Like are those those big ass slug things being pulled by the walking things?

Those big things being pulled around are vesicles. The things pulling them is a motor protein 'walking' on a microtubule.

There may be a voice over one available. IIRC, I saw the voice-over one during an O-Chem lecture last spring.

 

[Eli]

That was pretty cool, but I agree... some narration is in order. I had no idea WTF was going on during any sequences.

 

[Gibsons]

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: trmiv
Cool to look at, but it would be cool to know what the hell is going on. Like are those those big ass slug things being pulled by the walking things?

Those big things being pulled around are vesicles. The things pulling them is a motor protein 'walking' on a microtubule.

There may be a voice over one available. IIRC, I saw the voice-over one during an O-Chem lecture last spring.

The motor protein is likely kinesin.

The tube and wires that sort of grow on their own are probably tubulin and actin, which help form the cytoskeleton. My cell bio was never that good and it's been a while...

About 3/4 through, there are mRNAs being translated in the ER - the mRNA sort of zips from right to left and the protein comes out under the membrane.

At the end you see a neutrophil undergoing chemotaxis, it rolls for a bit til it gets enough signal, then squeezes through some endothelial cells to a site of inflammation and/or infection.

edit: at the beginning, after the blood vessel stuff, it looks like some lipid rafts in a cell membrane are diffusing around, the blobs sticking out of the rafts are receptor molecules.

 

[homercles337]

Originally posted by: Eli
That was pretty cool, but I agree... some narration is in order. I had no idea WTF was going on during any sequences.

Like others after me, you didnt read the thread did you?

OPie, you should add my link to your OP.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Its all a testament to God work

Anyway, its awesome at how everything works. Of course, all of it is just individual reactions all coming together. I'm sure the cell is alot more chaotic than that, but its cool at how parts of the Cell have the ability to self assemble and do things like that. Hopefully, we'll unlock more secrets in the future.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: homercles337

Originally posted by: Eli
That was pretty cool, but I agree... some narration is in order. I had no idea WTF was going on during any sequences.

Like others after me, you didnt read the thread did you?

OPie, you should add my link to your OP.

I looked at your link, but I couldnt figure it out?

Just seems to play the same thing, only smaller.

 

[Ticky]

Click on media then superspeed...

 

[BrokenVisage]

Added homercles' post to the OP, click on that if you want narration.

 

[Slew Foot]

Jesus designed that.

 

[Canai]

That is cool.

 

[LordSnailz]

bump for anyone that knows what song that is?