Have you ever wondered how our cells are organized at birth? Many scientists have wondered this question, but none have found answers until scientists at Harvard University have found a protein that signals cells to organize into our complex internal organs. With close examination, the Harvard team found that when organisms have this protein removed they do not fully develop their organs. The team was looking for new RNA patterns, but one of the non-coding RNA patterns they discovered was a protein. This protein, called Toddler, tells cells to migrate in the early embryo stages. Currently they are still wondering where the unorganized cells go and how this protein effects our growth.
(Credit: Alexander Schier)
Themes of Nature of Science:
1. Science is collaborative: Multiple faculty members and professors at Harvard worked on this project.
2. Science is based on evidence: The scientists in Harvard found the non-coding RNA and discovered the protein, they then experimented on Zebrafish to collect evidence.
3. Role of chance: It just happened by chance that they stumbled on the non-coding RNA pattern. Luck was involved in finding the protein.
Source:
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2014/02/on-switches-for-cells/
More related links:
http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/small-non-coding-rna-and-gene-expression-1078
https://www.sciencemag.org/content/343/6172/1248636.abstract
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