Cell CAT Scans

Ask A Biologist Podcast

Chapters
0:00
Introduction - driving to the synchrotron
3:06
Why are the microscopes called X1 and XM2?
3:32
Micronauts - study inner space
3:59
Journey inside a cell - take a tour of the parts of a cell
4:43
Plasma Membrane
5:00
Membrane Channels
5:42
Cytoplasm
6:03
Cytoskeleton
6:33
Nucleus - DNA
7:20
Nuclear Pores
7:34
Transcription and Messenger RNA
8:04
Endoplasmic Reticulum (E.R.)
8:16
Ribosome's and proteins
8:47
Rough E.R
9:03
Proteins
9:27
Organelles - literally tiny organs
9:50
Golgi apparatus
10:21
Mitochondria - ATP
11:20
Organelle trivia - Why is Golgi capitalized?
11:39
How things move and are transported around the cell
12:25
A view of the synchrotron from above
13:16
Why are synchrotrons round?
13:47
Hard and soft x-rays
14:53
How do you see cells if they are transparent? [labeling cells]
15:37
Walking to the XM2 microscope lab
16:35
What and why do you need a vacuum for particle accelerators?
17:05
What does tomography mean?
17:58
Example of how tomography is used today. [CAT scans]
18:37
Entering the laboratory - description of the microscope.
19:17
Description of the microscope.
20:20
Can any cells be placed in the microscope and do you have to do anything special to the cells? [freezing]
21:28
Viewing an image of a cell from the XM2 - Skittles?
23:15
What can we do with this new microscope?
23:39
Drug trafficking
24:10
Cancer treatment research.
24:49
How was the microscope designed and built?
25:21
How long did it take to build the microscope?
25:53
More details on the look of the microscope.
27:08
Importance of collaboration in large projects.
28:10
When did you first know you wanted to be a biologist?
29:03
What would you do if you were not a biologist?
29:44
What advice do you have for someone interested in being a biologist?
31:06
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Ask A Biologist Podcast
Cell CAT Scans
Jan 07, 2008 Episode 26
Dr. Biology Talks With Carolyn Larabell

Dr. Biology travels to the National Center for X-ray Tomography in Berkeley California to learn about a new microscope being built by cell biologist Carolyn Larabell and a team of scientists that provides a new way to look inside cells. Using a building-sized instrument called a synchrotron for its light source the XM2, as it is called, uses x-rays to look inside cells In fact, it is so new it is the only one of its kind in the world!

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