Cell-to-cell Transmission
Cell-to-cell Transmission - Related Videos
07:37
Revealing Dynamic Processes of Materials in Liquids Using Liquid Cell Transmission Electron Microscopy
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Cited by 9 •
2012
We have developed a self-contained liquid cell, which allows imaging through liquids using a transmission electron microscope. Dynamic processes of nanoparticles in liquids can be revealed in real time with sub-nanometer resolution.
10:26
Monitoring Cell-to-cell Transmission of Prion-like Protein Aggregates in Drosophila Melanogaster
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Cited by 5 •
2018
Accumulating evidence supports the idea that pathogenic protein aggregates associated with neurodegenerative diseases spread between cells with prion-like properties. Here, we describe a method that enables visualization of cell-to-cell spreading of prion-like aggregates in the model organism, Drosophila melanogaster.
08:39
Liquid-cell Transmission Electron Microscopy for Tracking Self-assembly of Nanoparticles
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Cited by 7 •
2017
Here we introduce experimental protocols for the real-time observation of a self-assembly process using liquid-cell transmission electron microscopy.
09:53
Micropatterning Transmission Electron Microscopy Grids to Direct Cell Positioning within Whole-Cell Cryo-Electron Tomography Workflows
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Cited by 29 •
2021
The goal of this protocol is to direct cell adhesion and growth to targeted areas of grids for cryo-electron microscopy. This is achieved by applying an anti-fouling layer that is ablated in user-specified patterns followed by deposition of extra-cellular matrix proteins in the patterned areas prior to cell seeding.
14:21
Performing In Situ Closed-Cell Gas Reactions in the Transmission Electron Microscope
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2021
Here, we present a protocol for performing in situ TEM closed-cell gas reaction experiments while detailing several commonly used sample preparation methods.
FAQs
These routes differ primarily in how material crosses the intercellular boundary. Gap junctions, synapses, and membrane contact sites maintain direct cell associations, whereas extracellular vesicles carry released contents between cells. Pathogens add another possibility: they may exploit cell contacts or enter through receptors. Distinguishing these routes helps relate a transmission event to its biological mechanism.
Each direct structure provides a different context for communication. Gap junctions connect neighboring cells, synapses support signaling between cells in neural systems, and membrane contact sites bring cell membranes into close association. Comparing these structures can clarify whether a biological effect depends on direct cellular contact rather than a released carrier, an important distinction in tissue communication and neural signaling.
Extracellular vesicles are relevant when a cell releases a carrier that can transport material to another cell. Their study broadens cell-to-cell transmission beyond fixed cell contacts and helps investigators examine how intercellular signaling may be distributed among cells. This route is especially useful to consider when analyzing coordinated activity or biological interactions that are not explained by direct structures alone.
Pathogen transmission can involve more than simple release into surrounding tissue. Infectious agents may exploit existing cell contacts or use receptor-mediated entry, making the receiving cell's contact structure or receptor availability central to spread. Comparing these possibilities helps connect a transmission pathway with infection progression and supports research aimed at antiviral strategies.
A useful investigation can organize the pathway around three questions: what is being transferred, which route connects the cells, and what biological process is affected. The transferred material may be a signal, molecule, genetic material, or infectious agent; the route may be direct or carrier-mediated. This framework supports measurement of pathway-specific intercellular movement.
Cell-to-cell transmission has distinct implications across biological systems. In tissues, it helps explain coordinated activity; in immunity, it provides context for immune responses; and in neural biology, it relates to signaling between cells. In cancer research, examining these routes can clarify how intercellular interactions contribute to disease progression, linking a general transmission concept to subject-specific questions.
Measurement can reveal which intercellular route is associated with a signal, molecule, genetic material, or infectious agent. That information can support antiviral strategies when infection is involved, targeted therapeutics when a particular pathway is relevant, and approaches that control intercellular signaling. Its value lies in connecting a transmission mechanism with a possible intervention.