Publications by authors named "U Becherer"
Flower, a highly conserved protein, crucial for endocytosis and cellular fitness, has been implicated in cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) killing efficiency through its role in cytotoxic granule (CG) endocytosis at the immune synapse (IS). This study explores the molecular cues that govern Flower-mediated CG endocytosis by analyzing uptake of Synaptobrevin2, a protein specific to CG in mouse CTL. Using immunogold electron microscopy and total internal fluorescence microscopy, we found that Flower translocates in a stimulus-dependent manner from small vesicles to the IS, thereby ensuring specificity in CG membrane protein recycling.
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- Fluorescence microscopy has advanced to subnanometer resolution but struggles to visualize single proteins or small complexes; researchers have developed a method called ONE microscopy to address this.
- ONE microscopy expands specimens, tags them with fluorophores, and captures videos to analyze fluorescence fluctuations, allowing for the visualization of individual proteins' shapes at around 1-nm resolution.
- This technique can observe protein conformational changes and has potential applications in clinical settings, such as analyzing protein aggregates in cerebrospinal fluid from Parkinson's patients, bridging high-resolution biology and light microscopy for new discoveries.
Background: Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are central players in the adaptive immune response. Their functional characterization and clinical research depend on efficient and reliable transfection. Although various methods have been utilized, electroporation remains the preferred technique for transient gene over-expression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRegulated exocytosis is a central mechanism of cellular communication. It is not only the basis for neurotransmission and hormone release, but also plays an important role in the immune system for the release of cytokines and cytotoxic molecules. In cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), the formation of the immunological synapse is required for the delivery of the cytotoxic substances such as granzymes and perforin, which are stored in lytic granules and released exocytosis.
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- Gonadotropes are special cells in the front part of the pituitary gland that help control fertility by connecting the brain to reproductive organs.
- When it's time for ovulation, these cells release a hormone called luteinizing hormone (LH), but scientists weren't sure how this happened.
- In their study using mice, researchers found that gonadotropes become super active and can release LH even without hormonal signals, and this is linked to certain calcium channels and reactive oxygen species in the cells.