Cambridge engineers develop microscope to image living cells in sub-zero conditions

Researchers from the British Antarctic Survey and the University of Cambridge have developed a specialized microscope capable of imaging living cells in near-freezing conditions. This technological breakthrough allowed scientists to capture the first high-resolution images of living Antarctic spiny plunderfish cells at temperatures near 0°C.

The study reveals how these fish have adapted to the extreme cold of the Southern Ocean. Observations showed that the cells utilize hyperfused mitochondrial networks and enlarged acidic bodies around the nucleus to manage cold-induced stress and protein misfolding. Interestingly, the researchers found that intracellular mitochondrial movement speeds in these fish were statistically slightly faster than those in temperate species like the shanny.

Beyond marine biology, the research offers potential insights into human health, specifically regarding how cells cope with protein misfolding, a process linked to conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. The development of such in situ imaging tools is also considered critical for future astrobiology missions to extraterrestrial environments.