Scientists see inside living Antarctic cells
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British Antarctic Survey and University of Cambridge engineers created a microscope capable of imaging living cells at sub-zero temperatures, allowing them to observe cells from Antarctic spiny plunderfish and shanny for the first time.
Researchers successfully cultured cells from the Antarctic spiny plunderfish, a small fish inhabiting the Southern Ocean, and compared them to cells from the shanny, a similar fish found near the UK.
They discovered that the Antarctic fish cells have larger mitochondria, which are connected in networks, and bigger lysosomes, suggesting the cells work harder to produce energy and dispose of damaged proteins in the cold. The team found that despite the frigid environment, movement within the Antarctic fish cells remained surprisingly fast, challenging the assumption that cold adaptation always slows cellular processes.
This research aims to understand why Antarctic species are vulnerable to climate change and whether their cellular biology limits their temperature tolerance. Beyond ecology, the findings could inform research into human diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, where protein misfolding plays a role, and potentially improve methods for preserving tissues. The team hopes to refine the imaging technology to better simulate the natural conditions of polar environments and further explore these adaptations.
