freeze-fracture

Freeze-fracture is a scientific technique used to study the detailed structure of cell membranes. It involves rapidly freezing cells to preserve their natural state, then breaking them apart along lines of weakness, often through the middle of the membrane. This process reveals the interior architecture, such as proteins and lipid arrangements, which can be examined with electron microscopes. Freeze-fracture is valuable for understanding how cells function and how their membranes are organized at a very fine, molecular level.