Seeing is believing (and understanding)
On a brisk Saturday morning, many Seattle residents can be found trekking through the forested landscape of the Cascade mountains. Here it is easy to appreciate the beauty of nature around us. Catching sight of spiked pine needles or a chipmunk's striped fur, we can see many unique traits and colors throughout this mountainous environment. While this beauty is easy to appreciate, the natural world around us expands beyond the landscapes and creatures we see with our eyes alone.
Every living organism, from trees to humans, is made of cells. We know this thanks to Robert Hooke, a scientist who established the term "cell" in 1665 after viewing cork under a microscope and seeing it contains individual sections. Cells are the building blocks of life and by taking a closer look at any organism another world of beautiful biology is revealed. Just as a toolbox has a collection of tools suitable for different tasks, our body contains diverse cells specialized for different biological processes. Thanks to ever improving microscopes, scientists can even see the contents of cells. Each cell has a collection of organelles, or "little organs", that have the same role as organs in our bodies: to perform different functions that each cell needs to survive. Organelles are packed inside our cells and once again contain a wealth of beauty along with function. Sprawling networks of mitochondria resembling intertwined vines give cells energy, while round, densely packed nuclei enclose cells' DNA. Since its first application, microscopy has given scientists access to this cellular world, allowing them to see how nature's beauty extends to all scales.
Beyond just observing the beauty of this tiny world, cell biologists like myself can use microscopes to make discoveries about how cells work. I study how cells divide, and more specifically how new cells receive the correct amount of DNA. DNA contains the information our cells need to function; it made up of molecules called chromosomes and each of our cells has 23 pairs of chromosomes. When a cell divides it must duplicate its DNA and these two copies of DNA must be pulled apart into what will become two separate cells. It's essential for chromosomes be pulled into the correct cell, as mistakes in this process are responsible for both developmental disorders and miscarriages and can contribute to cancer progression.
We can use microscopy to see where individual chromosomes end up after cell division, however, from one or two snapshots we cannot understand this whole process. This is similar to watching a car enter and exit a highway. If we only record a few moments in time we can determine how far a car traveled but will miss details of the trip, such as whether it switched lanes or had to stop for traffic. Similar information is lost when viewing cell division in this way. Chromosomes don't move quickly or along a straight path and we don’t fully understand which movements can lead to their arrival at the wrong destination. But don't worry, there is a way for us to gather this information. By taking many images throughout cell division we can compile a flipbook style view of chromosome movement. Seeing how and when mistakes occur can help us to prevent them from happening in our own cells. By using microscopy as an experimental tool, the beauty of biology becomes informative.
We can all appreciate the wonder of biology in our lives, whether by gazing up at the towering trees of a forest or sitting in a dark room peering into the eye pieces of a microscope, hoping to transform seeing into understanding.
Molly Zych studies cell division in order to understand how human cells accurately separate DNA into two new daughter cells. Using microscopy and cell biology tools Molly hopes to understand why errors occur in this process and how they contribute to both developmental disorders and cancer advancement.