Researchers develop new methods to study neurodegenerative diseases

New Brunswick, New Jersey (August 13, 2021)-Some proteins in cells can split into small droplets, like oil droplets in water, but the defect in this process may be the brain nerves of the elderly The basis of degenerative diseases

This new technology can simultaneously quantify the surface tension and viscosity or thickness of protein droplets, which will help scientists study how they change, paving the way for further understanding of the mechanisms of these diseases and the development of drug treatments

The research was published in the journal Biophysical Reports

The research team led by Rutgers University studied biomolecular aggregates, which are droplets formed by the liquid-liquid phase separation of protein and RNA in cells.

The material properties of these protein drops are very important because they play a key role in neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease

Surprisingly, there is currently no mature method to quantify the material properties of these protein drops, mainly because they are very small-about one trillionth of the volume of raindrops

The researchers observed droplets of ordinary liquids such as oil and water

"In fact, we can apply micropipette technology to accurately measure biomolecular condensate, which highlights a major difference between protein droplets and ordinary liquids: the surface tension of protein droplets is thousands of times lower than that of oil or water.

"We can now finally quantitatively study how the material properties of protein droplets change during neurodegeneration

DOI 10.

Surface tension and viscosity of protein condensates quantified by micropipette aspiration