Science can be beautiful, both conceptually and visually.  Here, researchers at the University of Geneva present captivating work detailing the components and assembly of the centrioles, cellular structures vital for organizing the cell’s skeleton, known as the cytoskeleton.  Centrioles are crucial for many aspects of cell biology, particularly the formation of the mitotic spindle that separates the chromosomes during cell division.  Failure to properly separate the chromosomes during cell division can lead to diseases like Down Syndrome and cancer.  In fact, damage to the chromosomes (aneuploidy) is perhaps the only characteristic that is common to all types of cancer.   Take a look at this remarkable work, if only to appreciate the beauty captured through fluorescent microscopy.

Centriole Assembly