�Researchers at The University of Nottingham have developed a unique technology that will allow scientists to look at microscopic bodily function within the body's chemical messenger system for the very first time, live as it happens.
The cutting edge optical maser technology has helped to attract .3 million pounds from the MRC (Medical Research Council) for a five-year externalize that will offer a new sixth sense into the tiny public of action taking position within single cells and could put up to the design of new drugs to treat human diseases such as asthma and arthritis with fewer side effects.
The team, involving scientists from the University's Schools of Biomedical Science (Professor Steve Hill and Dr Steve Briddon) and Pharmacy (Dr Barrie Kellam), is concentrating on a type of specialised docking situation (receptor) on the earth's surface of a cell that recognises and responds to a natural chemical within the body called adenosine.
These A3-adenosine receptors work within the body by binding with proteins to causal agency a response within cells and ar found in very petite and highly specialised expanse of a cell membrane called microdomains. Microdomains contain a collection of different molecules that are involved in recounting the cellphone how to respond to drugs or hormones.
It is believed that these receptors play an important role in inflammation within the body and knowing more about how they operate could inform the future development of anti-inflammatory drugs that prey just those receptors in the relevant microdomain of the cell, without influencing the like receptors in other areas of the cell. However, scientists get never before been able-bodied to reckon in item at their activity within these tiny microscopic regions of a living cell.
The Nottingham researchers have solved this problem by creating novel drug molecules which make fluorescent labels attached. Using a thinning edge optical maser technology called fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, the fluorescent do drugs molecules tin can be detected as they glow under the optical maser beam of a extremely sensitive microscope. This allows their binding to the receptor to be followed for the first time in actual time at the individual molecule level.
Leading the externalize, Professor Steve Hill in the School of Biomedical Sciences said: "These microdomains are so tiny you could suit five billion on them on a full stoppage. There ar 10,000 receptors on each prison cell, and we are able to follow how undivided drug molecules bind to individual receptors in these specialised microdomains.
"What makes this single molecule laser technique unique is that we are looking at them in substantial time on a living cell. Other techniques that investigate how drugs tie down to their receptors ask many millions of cells to get a openhanded enough signal and this normally involves destroying the cells in the process"
The researchers testament be victimisation donated blood as a source of A3-receptors in specialised human blood cells (neutrophils) that have of import roles during inflammation.
Different types of adenosine receptors ar found all over the body and can exist in different areas of the cell membrane and have different properties. Scientists hope that eventually the new engineering could besides be used to unlock the secrets of the role they play in a whole host of human diseases.
The fluorescent molecules developed as part of the inquiry project will also be useful in drug viewing programmes and The University of Nottingham will be making these fluorescent drugs available to the wider scientific community through its links with its spin out company CellAura Technologies Ltd.
The University of Nottingham is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 70 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and Times Higher (THES) World University Rankings.
It provides innovative and top quality teaching, undertakes world-changing enquiry, and attracts talented staff and students from one hundred fifty nations. Described by The Times as Britain's "only when truly global university", it has invested continuously in award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. Twice since 2003 its research and teaching academics hold won Nobel Prizes. The University has won the Queen's Award for Enterprise in both 2006 (International Trade) and 2007 (Innovation - School of Pharmacy).
Its students are often in demand from 'blue-chip' employers. Winners of Students in Free Enterprise for four geezerhood in taking over, and stream holder of UK Graduate of the Year, they are accomplished artists, scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, innovators and fundraisers. Nottingham graduates consistently excel in business, the media, the arts and sport. Undergraduate and graduate student degree closing rates ar amongst the highest in the United Kingdom.
Video footage can be found at http://wirksworthii.nottingham.ac.uk/Podcasts/files/rmg/public/science/laser.mp4
Source: Emma Thorne
University of Nottingham
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