Mind & Matter
Whether food, drugs or ideas, what you consume influences who you become. Learn directly from the best scientists & thinkers alive today about how your mind-body reacts to what you feed it.
The weekly M&M podcast features conversations with the most interesting scientists, thinkers, and technology entrepreneurs alive today.
Not medical advice.
At M&M, we are interested in trying to figure out how things work, not affirming our existing beliefs. We prefer consulting primary rather than secondary sources and independent rather than institutional voices. If we encounter uncomfortable truths or the evidence suggests unfashionable ideas may be valid, so be it.
As the host, my aim is to help you better understand how the body & mind work by curating & synthesizing information in a way that yields science-based insights that you can choose to use or disregard in your own life. Taking ownership of your health starts with taking ownership of your information diet.
I am motivated to connect the dots and distill general principles from what I learn, preferring to ask questions and play devil’s advocate to debating or incessantly pushing my own viewpoint.
My beliefs:
- Taking ownership of your health starts with taking ownership of your information diet.
- All knowledge is provisional and we must work hard to prevent ourselves from becoming attached to our favorite ideas & preferred conclusions.
- Wisdom comes from an iterative, trial-and-error process of learning and unlearning. Letting go of pre-conceived notions can be painful, but pain is information.
Sometimes modern discoveries teach us we must unlearn received wisdom. Other times, modern information overload & historical chauvinism cause us to forget ancient wisdom which stills applies. The framework for learning that I embody is inspired by three Ancient Greek maxims inscribed in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi:
- “Γνῶθι σεαυτόν” (Know thyself)
- “Μηδὲν ἄγαν” (Nothing in excess)
- “Ἐγγύα πάρα δ Ἄτα” (Certainty brings insanity)
Mind & Matter
Cell Biology: Cytoskeleton, Self-Assembly & Self-Organization, Wound Healing | Bill Bement | 236
Cellular self-organization, cytoskeleton dynamics, and membrane wound healing.
Episode Summary: Cell Biologist Dr. Bill Bement explains the dynamic world of the cell cortex, discussing how actin filaments and microtubules drive processes like cell division and wound healing through self-assembly and self-organization; energy dynamics of these processes; the role of rho GTPases in patterning; the implications for diseases such as cancer and muscular dystrophy, using vivid analogies and video demonstrations to make complex concepts accessible.
About the guest: Bill Bement, PhD is a cell biology professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he has studied cellular processes for over 30 years. He leads a lab focused on the cell cortex, investigating cell division and repair. His work emphasizes self-organization and cytoskeletal dynamics, contributing to insights into diseases like muscular dystrophy.
Discussion Points:
- The cell cortex, the outer layer of a cell, includes the plasma membrane & underlying proteins like actin & myosin, which enable dynamic shape changes.
- Actin filaments self-assemble without energy input, growing & shrinking to facilitate cell movement and division, while microtubules, stiffer hollow tubes, aid in chromosome separation.
- Self-organization in cells, driven by energy-dependent feedback loops, creates complex patterns like mitotic spindles.
- Cellular wound healing involves concentric rings of rho GTPases and actin, closing wounds rapidly, a process critical for surviving natural damage from mechanical stress or toxins.
- Energy costs of cytoskeletal rearrangements are significant but likely less than protein synthesis, though precise measurements remain challenging.
- Cancer metastasis may rely on enhanced cell repair, allowing metastatic cells to survive mechanical damage while squeezing through tissues.
- Muscular dystrophy involves excessive damage or impaired repair, highlighting the importance of cell repair mechanisms.
- Bement’s lab is developing tools for synthetic self-organization, aiming to manipulate cellular processes to address repair deficits in diseases.
Related episode:
- M&M 220: Cell Death, Oxidative Stress, PUFAs & Antioxidants | Pamela Maher
*Not medical advice.
Affiliates:
- Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app.
- KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime)
- Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off
- SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount.
For all the ways you can support my efforts
