Cell Language Theory, The: Connecting Mind And Matter

The Bhopalator 57

“6x9” b2861 The Cell Language Theory: Connecting Mind and Matter

Figure 3.3 Intracellular Ca^2 + ion gradients generated in the cytosol of a migrating human

neutrophil. Reproduced from [60]. The intracellular Ca^2 + ion concentration was visualized

using the Ca^2 +-sensitive fluorescent dye, Quin2 [60]. The pictures in the first column are

bright-field microscopic images and those in the second column are fluorescent images

showing intracellular calcium ion distributions (white = high calcium ion; gray = low cal-

cium ion). The pictures in the third column represent the color-coded ratio images of the

same cell as in the second column. Images on the first row = unstimulated neutrophil. Images

on the second row = the neutrophil migrating toward an opsonized particle, “opsonized”

meaning being treated with certain proteins that enhance engulfing by neutrophils. Images

on the third row = the neutrophil with pseudopods surrounding an opsonized particle. Images

on the fourth row = the neutrophil after having ingested several opsonized particles. Before

migrating toward the opsonized particle (indicated by the arrows in panels d and g), the

intracellular Ca^2 + ion concentration in the cytosol was about 100 nM (see (c)), which

increased to several hundred nanomolars toward the advancing edge of the cell (see (f )).

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