Exploring Cells in Virtual Reality

Oct 14, 2024

Guided Tour of Cellscape: A Virtual Reality Journey Inside a Human Cell

Overview

  • Cellscape is a virtual reality experience that allows users to explore a human cell.
  • Best viewed with a VR headset, but accessible via YouTube on Chrome or mobile.
  • Supported by Google's Making and Science Team.

Key Concepts

Cells Basics

  • Cells are the building blocks of living organisms.
  • Human body contains approximately 40 trillion cells.
  • Inside of a cell is dynamic, with various processes occurring simultaneously.

Navigating the Cell

  • Size Perspective: If scaled to the size of a cell, you would be 100 nm tall.
  • Organelle: Large structures within the cell functioning like organs.
  • Cytoplasm: Jelly-like substance inside the cell where particles float.
  • Proteins: Numerous proteins with diverse functions; cell spends significant time synthesizing proteins.

Cell Membrane

  • Functions like a flexible skin enclosing the cell.

Cytoskeleton

  • Provides structural support, akin to bones or a building's frame.
  • Consists of long chains cross-crossing the cell.

Mitochondria

  • Known as the cell's powerhouses.
  • Convert food into energy supporting cellular functions.

Protein Synthesis

Ribosome and mRNA

  • Ribosomes: Sites of protein synthesis.
  • mRNA: Carries protein-building instructions.
  • Process of Translation: Ribosome reads mRNA instructions to synthesize proteins.

Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)

  • Network of tubes where proteins are processed.
  • Proteins are transported through ER channels to the Golgi apparatus.

Golgi Apparatus

  • Functions as the cell's post office.
  • Sorts, packages, and dispatches proteins using vesicles.

Vesicles

  • Proteins are packaged in vesicles for transportation.
  • Kinsein Proteins: Help move vesicles along microtubules.

Microtubules

  • Part of the cytoskeleton, aiding in transport within the cell.
  • Built through polymerization (adding tubulin proteins).
  • Can be deconstructed (depolymerization) and reassembled as needed.

Additional Structures

Nucleus

  • Contains DNA, protected by a membrane.
  • Transcription: DNA is copied into RNA, which exits the nucleus.

Proteasomes

  • Act as the cell's recycling centers.
  • Break down unneeded proteins into smaller components.

Conclusion

  • Cells are complex and beautifully organized systems that perform various essential functions to sustain life.