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Nanoscale imaging shows treated red blood cells look a lot like tasty frosted donuts

Nanoscale-imaging-donut-blood-cells.jpg
By using nonoptical scanning probe microscopes, scientists are able to reveal the going-ons inside humans and animals with stunning clarity. Take the above set of donut-shaped blood cells — which have been treated with an antibiotic called phyllomelittin taken from the skin of a monkey frog — now decidedly more appetizing than when in a normal, bloody-looking state. (I'm sure many of you relaxed back into your seat Homer Simpson-style with an "Mmm... Monkey frog donuts...")

Down in the gallery below you'll also see nanoscale images of (from left to right) an enzyme attacking a strand of DNA, the self-cleaning properties of lotus plants, E. coli bacteria, the cell walls of blue-green algae, and 12 individual bromine atoms arranged in a circle.





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Via Wired

CORRECTION: As Doctor Winters chimed in down below, regular and healthy red blood cells do indeed look like donuts. The headline has been changed to reflect the cells' more delicious-looking state.

 
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(2) COMMENTS

John:
Brilliant! The next step is to image in real time....More »


Comments

By doctorwinters at 3:42 PM ON 01/13/09

very interesting...but, to be clear, untreated red blood cells look like donuts too.

By John at 9:56 AM ON 01/14/09

Brilliant! The next step is to image in real time.


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