This is a Neuron on Nicotine (VIDEO)
Caption
When a person takes a puff on a cigarette, nicotine floods into the brain, latching onto receptors on the surface of neurons and producing feelings of happiness. But nicotine does not simply stay on the surface of cells -- the drug actually permeates into neural cells and alters them from the inside out. Now, a team of scientists has developed a protein sensor that glows in the presence of nicotine, allowing the researchers to observe nicotine's movements in cells and reveal more about the nature of nicotine addiction. This video shows a cell containing these biosensors in its endoplasmic reticulum, glowing in the presence of varying concentrations of nicotine.
Credit
Caltech/Lester laboratory
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