Science Visualized Life

Twisty chains of proteins keep cells oriented

Curved fibers enable cells to tell right from left

actin filaments

CURVED SPOKES  Actin filaments (yellow; cell nucleus in magenta) tilt counterclockwise as they extend inward, helping a cell distinguish right from left.

Y.H. Tee et al. Nature Cell Biology 2015

By Tina Hesman Saey

- More than 2 years ago

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Fibers composed of a protein called actin are responsible for human cells’ ability to tell right from left, researchers report in the April Nature Cell Biology.