CANBERRA, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Scientists have developed a new nanoscopy technique that reveals hidden networks used for communication between cells, opening new ways to understand human diseases.
The breakthrough allows researchers to observe how living cells interact with their environment over several days, revealing three-dimensional behaviors that were previously invisible to conventional microscopes, said a statement released recently by the Australian National University (ANU).
"Using gentle, label-free imaging means we can finally witness the secret, dynamic life of cells in real time and 3D," said the study's senior investigator Steve Lee of ANU's John Curtin School of Medical Research.
"The technique allows for faster and more accurate breakthroughs in how we understand and treat human disease at the nanoscale," Lee said, adding that it avoids chemical "labels" commonly used in nanoscopy that can damage cells through phototoxicity.
The new nanoscopy method, RO-iSCAT, is to observe thin, thread-like nanoscale extensions from cells at a resolution beyond conventional microscopy, said the study published in Nature Communications.
Over days of continuous imaging, these structures were seen extending, retracting and reconnecting, forming intricate networks that transfer biochemical messages to neighboring cells, challenging earlier views based on static images, researchers said.
The discovery could improve understanding of how diseases develop, including investigating how pancreatic cancer cells and human blood vessel cells form multiple "tight" bridges with surrounding tissue, potentially aiding tumor growth and treatment resistance, they said.
The method could also help scientists understand how viruses move between cells, as some are thought to spread through these cellular bridges, and develop more precise drug delivery strategies. ■