Fall 2010 | Issue home
Food For Thought
Video 1
Pitt investigators Lina Du, Greg Gibson, and Bob Clark showed that neurons of female mice in culture survive starvation for days longer than those of male mice. Minnie's brain cells use fat stores to tide themselves over; Mickey's go for protein instead. On the left, male neurons digest their own organelles using their lysosomes, seen here as green dots that grow larger as they chow down. On the right, the ladies' cells are sitting pretty and staying healthy. Courtesy the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
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Video 2
A closer look at the male neurons' lysosomes noshing on their own organelles. The lysosomes, seen here in orange, turn green after imbibing intercellular contents. Courtesy the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
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