Poised to Rupture
Necroptosis is a programmed form of cell death, where cell membranes expand and rupture, leading to spillage of cellular components into the surrounding area.
This is different from apoptosis, a quieter type of cell death, where the membrane keeps the cell’s contents contained. During necroptosis the membrane breaks, alerting the immune system and causing inflammation, one of the body’s defence mechanisms against harmful pathogens such as viruses.
Using Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) and a membrane tension probe called Flipper, Poised to Rupture shows cell membranes undergoing necroptosis, under increasing tension until they ‘blow up’.
Hanadi’s research focuses on how MLKL, a protein activated by necroptosis, disrupts cell membranes. This could provide important insights into cell death and lead to better treatments for inflammatory diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease.
Artist
- Hanadi Hoblos