In the image, the ER of a cell with
the Mfn2 protein (left) and without it.
On the right, the ER form vesicles
which indicates
that the organelle is completely
disorganized
and unable to respond correctly to
cellula
Each cell in an organism has a sensor that measures the
health of its "internal" environment. This "alarm" is found
in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which is able to sense cellular stress and
trigger either rescue responses or the death of the cell. A team from the
Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), in Barcelona, has discovered that
the protein Mitofusin 2 (Mfn2) plays a crucial role in correctly measuring
stress levels, and also makes sure the pathways of cell repair or cell death
are effective.