Tiny thermometer measures how mitochondria heat up the cell by unleashing proton energy
Armed with a tiny new thermometer probe that can quickly measure temperature inside of a cell, University of Illinois researchers have illuminated a mysterious aspect of metabolism: heat generation. Mitochondria, the cell’s power stations, release quick bursts of heat by unleashing the power stored in an internal proton ‘battery,’ the researchers found. Better understanding of this process could point to new targets for treating obesity and cancer, they say. …read more
