Human T-Cells Seen To Make Life Or Death Decisions Through Super-Resolution Microscope

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This article talks about how researchers are using advanced imaging technology, the super resolution fluorescent microscope, to view cell signaling processes involved in the activation of T cells. By viewing the activity of a particular kinase (Lck), researches were able to observe the actual protein processes that causes the immune response seen in the human body. It was hypothesized that this kinase is involved in deciding whether or not the T cells will respond properly to the foreign stimuli. Identifying pathogenic responses that T cells have (or may not have due to some adaptation by the pathogen) to virus-infected and cancer cells will be key in identifying cures for such ailments. he advancement of such technologies is offering today's physiologists a better understanding of how small scale cell processes work, and give insight as to how treatments could be devised to treat a faulty step in the complex biological pathways.

I found the above article interesting because it's amazing that imaging is beginning to reach the level that it can actually observe biological processes on such a small scale. Technology like this will allow for incredible breakthroughs once processes are completely understood on a physical and chemical scale. Also, the chemical process that allows cells to make decisions are very interesting because they illustrate how the body acts in unison based on signalling between various chemical systems, which is the basis for the existence of life.