Fascination with water could improve understanding of Alzheimer’s
Countless proteins and enzymes jostle with other molecules inside our cells. Small membraneless droplets form in this crowded environment. Their function is still unknown, but they may play a part in diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Wallenberg Academy Fellow Foivos Perakis is studying how these droplets are formed.
Foivos Perakis in the lab at Stockholm University. Photo: Magnus Bergström/KAW
Different parts of our cells have distinct tasks. These parts, called organelles, may be compared to the organs in our bodies. A myriad of molecules move between them. It was formerly believed that molecules floated independently. However, researchers have recently discovered that the crowding in the cell creates membraneless droplets within the cytoplasm – the gelatinous fluid where all organelles float. Foivos Perakis at Stockholm University wants to ascertain how these molecular droplets are formed and their potential function in cellular processes. The methods he is using stem from his fascination with water.
