determine the cancer's origin. This 
knowledge helps physicians decide 
on the best course of treatment for 
that particular tumor. 
Some scientists believe that inter- 
mediate filaments may play a role in 
carrying certain messages from the 
cell's surface to the nucleus, where 
they turn genes on. Research is 
under way to discover if this is, in 
fact, the case. 
Current investigations of the cell's 
organelles* — the nucleus, ribosomes, 
endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, 
lysosomes, peroxisomes, mitochon- 
dria, and cytoskeleton — hold great 
promise for the solution of problems 
of basic biology and clinical medi- 
cine. However, the key that may 
unlock the greatest number of health 
benefits may well be found in the 
cell's filmy membranes, particularly 
the surface membrane, which plays 
a pivotal role in maintaining the 
integrity of the cell and, in a larger 
way, in protecting the health of the 
organism. 
45 
