Diatoms: Life in Glass Houses

Abstract

Diatoms are an extraordinarily successful group of organisms and their many thousands of species have diversified and specialized so as to occupy every environmental niche. Part of their success derives from their unique protective cell walls, beautifully elaborate structures made of pure silica. However, living inside walls made of this rigid, refractory material creates many problems. Just how diatoms circumvent these problems provides the major theme in this spectacular exploration of the biology of living cells. “Diatoms: Life in Glass Houses” is a 60 minute video covering all aspects of living diatoms, with emphasis on how they get around problems of living within cell walls made of pure silica.