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by dnautics 5682 days ago
the problem with the video is that it doesn't really show these events as stochastically driven - the molecules all magically 'seem to know where to go' whereas in realtiy they are bouncing against each other randomly and the correct interactions occur because they 'stick', whereas the incorrect interactions just keep bouncing off.
1 comments
sbmws 5682 days ago
I noticed that too. It's a problem lots of students seem to have in understanding molecular reactions. This video seems to correct this to some extent:

It shows of how apoptosis works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KTDz-ZisZ0

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dnautics 5682 days ago
holy hell that's so AWESOME. I mean there are a few parts where they had to cheat (assembly of the apoptosome) but that's kind of understandable on the grounds of the video would have taken forever otherwise =).

I think also, it's part of the reason why a lot of people who see the life of the cell video get this impression, "it's so miraculous, it had to be designed (by a creator)". this video really captures the messiness of the whole process.

Haha the only gripe I have is how the intro makes it seem like the etymological root of the word apoptosis is the word "pop".

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sbmws 5680 days ago
That's the main reason I love that video, it shows the "messiness' and chaotic nature of the molecular processes involved: they're not intelligent, just stupid molecules colliding with each other until something sticks by accident.

Haha, they went overboard with all the popping. The one during the caspase sequence started to get a tad annoying.

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