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fuckyeahmolecularbiology:

When biology is taught, it can look very static.

It seems, on paper, that things in a cell follow a logical order; we can trace the path of carbohydrates, for example, through glycolysis and the citric acid cycle, the latter fueling the reduction of high-energy electron carriers to generate ATP through the churning of the electron transport chain’s proton pump. Proteins looked rigid, trapped in complex three-dimensional structures, and everything in the cell appears as neat little capsules within the cellular membrane: Organised. Logical. Functional.

Not so, say Alain Viel and Robert. A. Lue.

The Harvard University professors of Molecular and Cell Biology pioneered the BioVisions project - an aim to get Harvard undergraduates to understand the chaotic complexity of the cellular environment. To do this, they developed extraordinarily precise animations; a far cry from the typical narrative explanations in science documentaries, these are accurate down to the smallest protein subunit.

The ultimate goal of the BioVisions project can be summarised by ‘to see is to begin to understand.’ Biology is constantly innovating, and new and more powerful ways to communicate it are becoming increasingly necessary as the discipline becomes ever more microscopic. The very act of observing and recording data lies at the foundation of all the natural sciences - and molecular biology is no exception.

So sit back, relax, and take a tour of the mitochondria: The cell’s ATP pump. See what you can spot in the animation; ATP is the glowing orange molecule, for example, and ADP is the burnt orange one.

All video credit goes to Harvard University and the BioVisions project.

Posted on: 6 June, 2012 with 321 Notes

via amolecularmatter source: amolecularmatter

  1. taylorblaze2 reblogged this from amolecularmatter and added:
    Need to watch later. Should be pretty awesome.
  2. withnosetfuture reblogged this from immaculaterose
  3. immaculaterose reblogged this from amolecularmatter
  4. thedandydreams reblogged this from lostravens and added:
    BOOM!
  5. thesummerbuddhist reblogged this from fuckitbukowskiwasright
  6. fuckitbukowskiwasright reblogged this from selenocysteine
  7. selenocysteine reblogged this from lostravens
  8. lostravens reblogged this from amolecularmatter and added:
    This is probably one of the best videos in illustrating the function of the mitochondria.
  9. ariversmind-apoeticheart reblogged this from thefluxandflow and added:
    askjdfasidfkl THIS VIDEO IS AMAZING
  10. thefluxandflow reblogged this from apoptotica
  11. intellectualconsilience reblogged this from pretendy
  12. haveanicekillerday reblogged this from amolecularmatter
  13. scorpshirl reblogged this from amolecularmatter
  14. revolucionconciencia reblogged this from amolecularmatter
  15. unintendedmuse reblogged this from amolecularmatter
  16. ohanameansfamily24 reblogged this from georgeburtonthecurtain and added:
    My favourite enzyme at 1:10, ATP synthase :3 I just think it’s amazing how it acts as motor, pulling in protons and...
  17. georgeburtonthecurtain reblogged this from pretendy and added:
    is it too much to ask to live in a mitochondria omg
  18. bettyc reblogged this from amolecularmatter
  19. thefuturesweetheart reblogged this from amolecularmatter
  20. albert-wesker-bow reblogged this from fyeahmedlab
  21. rawlog reblogged this from amolecularmatter
  22. snookumnoodles reblogged this from pretendy
  23. whatsbehindtheblankstare reblogged this from amolecularmatter and added:
    coolest videos I’ve seen...longer one at one point, but I can’t find
  24. beep-boop-buzz reblogged this from amolecularmatter and added:
    This is so cool.
  25. growupandstartlivingyourlife reblogged this from amolecularmatter
  26. hm0880 reblogged this from pretendy
  27. thisisme-nowfuckoff reblogged this from amolecularmatter
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