Guardian Angel’ Protein Molecule Inside Cells is Identified
O.o um what?
In the last few years, biologists have discovered that a particular protein molecule within cells has a wide range of life-protecting functions. The molecule is so important that it’s been called a \”guardian Angel.\” These findings will help us better understand how life works as well as the causes of cancer.
The role of this molecule is so widespread that scientists from four different fields of biology have been on its trail, unaware of each other’s significance until recently.
For example, Molecular Biologists were trying to understand how cells can repair genetic damage caused by radiation, chemicals, and even body heat. Cell biologists also wanted to know how cells regulate the timing of their division. Cell biologists also wanted to understand how cells perform a natural process known as \”programmed death,\” or the apoptosis. In this case, a cell commits suicide. Cancer researchers were also puzzled that half of the tumors they found in cancer victims contained mutations to a particular gene. This gene was so common that it was dubbed a \”tumor-suppressor\”, because when it is knocked out a cell becomes predisposed to cancer. A Four-Team Effort.
Source:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1995/02/27/guardian-angel-protein-molecule-inside-cells-is-identified/ad1169c1-da81-4a59-b979-a7ab35937b18/
