Chemical Physics in Living Cells-using Light to Visualize and Control Intracellular Signal Transduction †

摘要: Cells are crowded microenvironments filled with macromolecules undergoing constant physical and chemical interactions. The physicochemical makeup of the cells affects various cellular responses, determines cell-cell interactions influences cell decisions. Chemical properties differ between within cells. Moreover, these subject to dynamic changes in response environmental signals, which often demand adjustments or states intracellular molecules. Indeed, responses such as gene expression rely on faithful relay information from outside inside cell, a process termed signal transduction. traverses complex path across subcellular spaces variable chemistry, sometimes even influencing it. Understanding molecular signaling molecules their environments is vital our understanding cell. Exploring intricate possible today largely because experimental theoretical tools. Here, we focus one tool that commonly used physics studies — light. We summarize recent work uses light both visualize environment also control processes along axis highlight accomplishments optical microscopy optogenetics, an emerging strategy utilizes live believe optogenetics lends unprecedented spatiotemporal precision manipulation biological contexts. hope use this demonstrate new opportunities for physicists who interested pursuing biomedical questions.