Investigating the limits of filopodial sensing: a brief report using SEM to image the interaction between 10 nm high nano-topography and fibroblast filopodia

Having the ability to control cell behaviour would be of great advantage in tissue engineering. One method of gaining control over cell adhesion, proliferation, guidance and differentiation is use of topography. Whilst it has be known for some time that cells can be guided by micro‐topography, it is only recently becoming clear that cells will respond strongly to nano‐scale topography. The fact that cells will take cues from their micro‐ and nano‐environment suggests that the cells are in some way ‘spatially aware’. It is likely that cells probe the shape of their surroundings using filopodia, and that this initial filopodia/topography interaction may be critical to down‐stream cell reactions to biomaterials, or indeed, the extracellular matrix. One intriguing question is how small a feature can cells sense? In order to investigate the limits of cell sensing, high‐resolution scanning electron microscopy has been used to simultaneously view cell filopodia and 10 nm high nano‐islands. Fluorescence microscopy has also been used to look at adhesion formation. The results showed distinct filopodial/nano‐island interaction and changes in adhesion morphology.     

高压生物科学与技术研究进展

压力生物科学是一个新兴学科,它由纯应用型技术研究拓展到生物化学、细胞生物学和分子生物学等基础生物学科的相关领域。压力作为重要的热力学参数,会影响蛋白质的结构与功能、细胞代谢、基因表达等生物过程,运用科学的方法和手段研究压力生物效应可以更好地认识许多生命现象。     

Teaching biology in the thirties

Ernest J. Holmes, one of the first teachers of ‘biology’ in secondary schools and co-author of a seminal biology textbook, writes a personal account of teaching at a time when ‘biology’ as a school subject was just beginning to become accepted.     

系统生物科学与工程的高科技产业化

系统生物科学最早开创于贝塔郎菲的理论生物学和一般系统论。系统生物科学或生物系统科学研究分子、细胞、器官和群体各层次的生物系统,尤其是心智和遗传的信息系统。系统生物工程(曾邦哲1994年)采用实验分析和系统逻辑的双重方法论,探索改造和仿造生物系统的工程技术,包括:1)生化工程、生态工程,2)生物反应器、遗传工程,3)高分子传感器、仿生工程,4)生物遗传计算、智能工程等领域,将促进系统医学、转基因生物反应器、生物计算机、智能机器人和中医药现代化的发展。现代城市生态、工业网络的系统藕合、循环、再生的无污染、无烟化工业生态工程将带来自然、工业、人文之间的和谐。