====== Cellular vaults ======

//Vaults// are microscopic structures found in nearly all cells which have a nucleus. They were first seen in 1986 using electron microscope 'negative staining' techniques.([[https://rupress.org/jcb/article-pdf/103/3/699/1053878/699.pdf|ref.]]{{:oa_padlock_grn.png?16}})

They are highly regular in structure, made of specialsed proteins, and with a strict 36-fold symmetry ([[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:%E7%A9%B9%E7%AA%BF%E4%BD%93.jpg|Illustration here]]) The hollow barrel-like structures typically have a length of approximately 70 nm and a diameter of 40 nm.

They have so far been found in the cells of mammals, birds, fish, plants, nematodes, yeasts, bacteria etc. etc.. Many cells have have a vault count of  over 10,000.

Their function is not presently known.

Given their prevalence, it's assumed that they could have some critical cellular function(s) - possibly involving intra-cellular transport processes.- which go far back in evolutionary time.

Further technical details :[[https://www.cell.com/structure/pdf/S0969-2126(99)80050-1.pdf|Structure of the vault, a ubiquitous cellular component]]{{:oa_padlock_grn.png?16}} //Structure,// Vol.7(4), p.371-379

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Vaults are one example of the large number of cellular 'organelles' which have yet-to-be-identified functions. See : [[content:life_sciences:life_itself:cell_organelles]]