What Is the Blastula?

Certain amphiphilic molecules, such as many natural synthetic surfactants and phospholipids that cannot simply synthesize micelles, spontaneously form a class of molecularly ordered assemblies with closed bilayer structures when dispersed in water, called cysts Vesicles are also known as liposomes

Certain amphiphilic molecules, such as many natural synthetic surfactants and phospholipids that cannot simply synthesize micelles, spontaneously form a class of molecularly ordered assemblies with closed bilayer structures when dispersed in water, called cysts Vesicles are also known as liposomes

Used in some cells to store, transport, and digest cell products and waste.

Chinese name

Vesicle

Foreign name

Vesicles

Function

Transporter

Pinyin

Nang Pao

Aka

Small vesicles

Vesicle meaning

Certain amphiphilic molecules, such as many natural synthetic surfactants and phospholipids that cannot simply synthesize micelles, spontaneously form a class of molecularly ordered assemblies with closed bilayer structures when dispersed in water, called cysts Vesicles are also called liposomes. The meaning of the terms vesicle and liposome is somewhat ambiguous in the literature. It is generally believed that if these amphiphilic molecules are the natural surfactant lecithin, the structure formed is called a liposome; if it is composed of a synthetic surfactant, it is called a vesicle. Therefore, vesicles play an important role as a transport vehicle in the process of secreting proteins.

Used in some cells to store, transport, and digest cell products and waste.

Application of vesicles

One of the most important applications of vesicles is to simulate biofilms. The main body of the biofilm is a closed bilayer vesicle structure composed of phospholipids and proteins in an aligned arrangement. Biofilm plays a very important role in living organisms, with functions such as ion migration and immune recognition. The study of vesicles can deepen people's understanding of biofilms and provide a new way for people's biomimetic research.

Another important application of vesicles is as a carrier for drugs. Compared with other microstructures, vesicles have a peculiar structure, that is, there are hydrophilic microdomains and hydrophobic microdomains, which makes the vesicles capable of carrying water-soluble drugs and water-insoluble drugs simultaneously. At the same time, the vesicles have a double-layer membrane structure and have good compatibility with biofilms, making them ideal carriers for in vivo drugs. Since it takes a long time for molecules to enter and exit vesicles, using this feature, in recent years, people have studied using vesicles as slow-release agents to better exert their efficacy.

In recent years, with the development of nanotechnology, people have also used vesicles as molds to prepare nanomaterials. Vesicles can also provide a suitable microenvironment for some chemical and biochemical reactions. In addition, vesicles have certain applications in the cosmetics industry and the food industry.

Vesicle vesicle transport mechanism

The proper functioning of cells in an organism depends on getting the right molecules to the right place at the right time. Some molecules, such as insulin, need to be transported out of the cell, while others need to be transported inside the cell. Molecules generated inside the cell are wrapped in vesicles (shown in blue in the figure), but how exactly do these vesicles achieve this precise transport? This point has not been understood.

Randy W. Schekman discovered that proteins under genetic control play an important role in this vesicle transport mechanism. As shown in the figure here, by comparing normal yeast cells (left) and cells with defective transport mechanisms (right), he successfully identified the genes that control this transport process.

James E. Rothman discovered that a protein compound (shown in orange in the figure) allows the vesicles to fuse with the target cell membrane. The proteinaceous material on the vesicles binds to specific proteins on the target cell membrane, allowing the vesicles to release the special "molecular cargo" they carry at the correct location.

Thomas C. Südhof studied how nerve cells in the brain transmit signals to each other and the role of calcium ions in this process. He identified a molecular mechanism (shown in purple in the figure) that can respond to incoming calcium ions and trigger vesicle fusion, explaining how the accuracy of time in the vesicle transport mechanism is achieved, and how How can the signal molecular substances carried be controlled release.

According to the report on October 7, according to the official Nobel Prize website, the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was announced today. The winners were James E. Rothman, Randy W. Schekman & Thomas C. Südhof. The mystery of the transport mechanism.

Every cell in an organism is a factory that produces and exports molecules. For example, insulin is made here and released into the bloodstream, and neurotransmitters are conducted from one nerve cell to another. These molecules are transmitted in the cell in the form of "packets", which are called "cell vesicles". The three award-winning scientists discovered the molecular mechanisms by which these packets are transported to the right place at the right time.

Randy Schekman discovered a series of genes related to cellular vesicle transport mechanisms; James Rothman discovered protein mechanisms that allowed these vesicles to fuse with their targets, enabling the delivery of the "cargo" that was transported; Thomas Südhof revealed It shows how the signal controls the vesicles so that they can accurately distribute the "cargo" they carry.

During this discovery, three scientists: Rothman, Schekman, and Südhof revealed the fine structure and control mechanisms of the intracellular transport system. The destabilization of this system can lead to harmful results, such as neurological diseases, diabetes or immune system disorders. ^[1]