Editor's Summary
8 May 2008
Single minded
Traditional cell biology is based on a tacit assumption: that each member of a population of identical cells acts in much the same way at much the same time. In reality, 'noise' makes its presence felt at the cellular level. Random fluctuations mean that gene expression and cell signalling are not synchronized from cell-to-cell. 'Stochastic' cell biology is a response to this problem, made possible by advances in single-molecule live-cell imaging. Helen Pearson talked to workers in the vanguard of this new field, finding meaning where once there was just background noise.
News Features: Cell biology: The cellular hullabaloo
The inner life of a cell is noisy. Helen Pearson discovers how the resulting randomness makes life more challenging � and richer.
doi:10.1038/453150a
