Abstract
The nucleolus is a membraneless organelle embedded in chromatin solution inside the cell nucleus. By analyzing surface dynamics and fusion kinetics of human nucleoli in vivo, we find that the nucleolar surface exhibits subtle, but measurable, shape fluctuations and that the radius of the neck connecting two fusing nucleoli grows in time as . This is consistent with liquid droplets with low surface tension coalescing within an outside fluid of high viscosity . Our study presents a noninvasive approach of using natural probes and their dynamics to investigate material properties of the cell and its constituents.
- Received 25 July 2017
- Revised 1 July 2018
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.148101
© 2018 American Physical Society
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
Focus
How to Measure Viscosity Inside Cells
Published 5 October 2018
A noninvasive method measures the viscosity in a cell nucleus by observing the movement and fusion of cellular components.
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