How white blood cells sense and respond to their surroundings and external stimuli.
Before watching the video, however, I suggest you head over to Andrew Sobala’s blog to read his description of what you’re watching. Here’s the beginning:
You are in a blood vessel, then zoom in to a cell rolling along the endothelium wall (basically looking for injuries or cells that are generally “upset”). The closeup of the long spindly proteins are, I believe, contact proteins between the two cells. You then see a cell membrane — not the GCSE model, but what it actually looks like — including a lipid raft surfing containing a group of localised proteins. You then zoom out and see some of the general cytoskeletal structure under the cell membrane (if anyone can identify specifics, please let me know).
You don’t have to understand everything that’s being described to appreciate the majesty and complexity of the human cell shown in the video.
Such an animation should dispel anyone who doubts that this is the century of biology, in which humans should finally decipher all of the molecular processes that allow life to exist and flourish. What we learn will both improve our health as well as allow us to beneficially mimic nature. (I.e. artificial gills.)