The 'pipes' inside your cells aren't actually one big connected line like we thought; they’re full of weird physical gaps.
April 2, 2026
Original Paper
ER discontinuities are common in C. elegans neurons, revealing a genetically tractable model for ER network maintenance
bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.03.31.715740
The Takeaway
Textbooks depict the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) as a single, continuous highway for transporting proteins. This study reveals that in neurons, this network is actually full of micron-scale breaks and 'discontinuities' that become more frequent as we age or face stress, overturning a fundamental assumption about cell architecture.
From the abstract
The neuronal endoplasmic reticulum (ER) extends from the soma into axons and dendrites to coordinate protein trafficking, lipid metabolism, inter-organelle organization, and calcium homeostasis. Conserved genes involved in shaping the tubular ER are implicated in neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration, suggesting that ER structure and dynamics influence neuronal health and drive pathogenesis. However, the links between ER morphology and neuronal function and resilience remain incompletely unders