News
Author: Wiida Fourie-Basson
Published: 06/04/2021
Engineers and scientists from Stellenbosch University have developed a visualisation tool that can automatically localise and quantify specific cellular processes such as mitochondrial fission and fusion – and that in three-dimensional space and time.
Mitochondria are organelles that generate most of the chemical energy needed to power the cell s biochemical reactions. Mitochondrial processes, such as fission and fusion, therefore play a central role in the balance, function and viability of cells. When things go wrong, it is often a sign of the onset of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson s and Alzheimer s disease.
To date, however, the accurate quantification of these cell dynamics has been a challenge, with most of the work being done manually.