The interactive image was created for Cell Signaling Technology, Inc., and was inspired by the work of David Goodsell, a professor of computational biology at Scripps Research Institute, who is widely recognized for his vibrant watercolor paintings of cells and viruses. Alongside some artistic interpretation, portions of the image were digitally rendered using datasets gathered through scientific methods.
“This 3D rendering of a eukaryotic cell is modeled using X-ray, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and cryo-electron microscopy datasets for all of its molecular actors,” explains McGill. “It is an attempt to recapitulate the myriad pathways involved in signal transduction, protein synthesis, endocytosis, vesicular transport, cell-cell adhesion, apoptosis, and other processes.”
Although some online are calling it “the most detailed image of a human cell ever captured” Evan Ingersoll and Gael McGill emphasize that it’s really an educational tool. Elements of the cell have been simplified, and in some cases “squashed together,” to help viewers better understand what happens inside it.
