Hàkon
10-10-2012, 01:45 PM
2012 year's recipients of the Nobel Prize in chemistry are researchers
Robert J. Lefkowitz (69) and Brian K. Kobilka (57) from the US.
http://im.rediff.com/news/2012/oct/10nobel.jpg
Mr. Lefkowitz to your left and Mr. Kobilka to your right.
In the year of 1968, Robert Lefkowitz tracked the receptors of cells by radioactivity.
He attached an iodine isotope to different hormones, and through the radiation he was able to find several recievers.
Among them, the receptor for the hormone adrenaline - the beta adrenergic receptor.
His research group then picked out the receptor from it's hiding place in the cell membrane and could thereby for the first time carve out an idéa of how it works.
During the 80s, the next important step was taken.
Brian Kobilka, newly employed at the time, took the challenge of finding the encoding gene for the beta adrenergic receptor in our giant germ plasm.
When the researchers then analyzed the gene they were surprised:
the receptor looked like the receiver in our eyes that captures light.
Now they understood that there is a whole family of receptors that look the same way - G protein-coupled receptors* - and thus were able to answer the question:
"How do cells read whats happening in their environment?"
With this knowledge we will be able to create better medicines with fewer side effects.
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G_protein-coupled_receptor
http://www.nobelprize.org/
http://theapricity.com/forum/showthread.php?t=59455
http://theapricity.com/forum/showthread.php?t=59373
Robert J. Lefkowitz (69) and Brian K. Kobilka (57) from the US.
http://im.rediff.com/news/2012/oct/10nobel.jpg
Mr. Lefkowitz to your left and Mr. Kobilka to your right.
In the year of 1968, Robert Lefkowitz tracked the receptors of cells by radioactivity.
He attached an iodine isotope to different hormones, and through the radiation he was able to find several recievers.
Among them, the receptor for the hormone adrenaline - the beta adrenergic receptor.
His research group then picked out the receptor from it's hiding place in the cell membrane and could thereby for the first time carve out an idéa of how it works.
During the 80s, the next important step was taken.
Brian Kobilka, newly employed at the time, took the challenge of finding the encoding gene for the beta adrenergic receptor in our giant germ plasm.
When the researchers then analyzed the gene they were surprised:
the receptor looked like the receiver in our eyes that captures light.
Now they understood that there is a whole family of receptors that look the same way - G protein-coupled receptors* - and thus were able to answer the question:
"How do cells read whats happening in their environment?"
With this knowledge we will be able to create better medicines with fewer side effects.
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G_protein-coupled_receptor
http://www.nobelprize.org/
http://theapricity.com/forum/showthread.php?t=59455
http://theapricity.com/forum/showthread.php?t=59373