New cell imaging method measures protein folding in living organelles
Researchers at Ruhr University Bochum have developed a new imaging technique called confocal Fast Relaxation Imaging (cFReI) to study protein folding within membraneless organelles. This method aims to clarify whether these organelles protect cells from protein aggregates or contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.
Why it matters
Understanding the role of protein aggregation in cellular compartments is critical for developing future treatments for neurodegenerative conditions.
edited by Lisa Lock , reviewed by Robert Egan
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Add as preferred source Illustration of the cFReI technique. Credit: PRX Life (2026). DOI: 10.1103/dsw6-t4qf Protein aggregates are associated with the development of diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. These are found more often in certain areas of cells known as membraneless organelles. Do these organelles promote this protein clumping, or do they protect the cell by temporarily absorbing the aggregates? Professor Simon Ebbinghaus and Mailin Becker from Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, set out to answer this question with their new, self-developed method, "confocal Fast Relaxation Imaging," or cFReI. They report their findings in the journal PRX Life .
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