Direct observation of single particle movements in the cytoplasm

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25600051
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Nanobioscience
• Research Institution: The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: SAKO Yasushi 独立行政法人理化学研究所, 佐甲細胞情報研究室, 主任研究員 (20215700)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: １粒子追跡 / ナノプローブ / 細胞内環境

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Movements and collision of the particles in the cytoplasm regulate chemical reactions inside cells. Because of complicated structure and environments in the cytoplasm, the movements of cytoplasmic particles must be largely deviated from simple thermal diffusion. Here, we analyzed movements of 50-nm single fluorescent particles introduced in living cell cytoplasm. The results indicated that the viscous drag in the cytoplasm is only ten times larger than that in water, however, 40% trajectories of the particles were confined within ~100 nm regions, suggesting fine compartmentalization of the cytoplasm.

Free Research Field

総合理工