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Related Concept Videos

Cell-surface Signaling01:21

Cell-surface Signaling

Hormones—or any molecule that binds to a receptor, known as a ligand—that are lipid-insoluble (water-soluble) are not able to diffuse across the cell membrane. In order to be able to affect a cell without entering it, these hormones bind to receptors on the cell membrane. When a first messenger, a hormone, binds to a receptor, a signal cascade is set off, causing second messengers, proteins inside the cell, to become activated, resulting in downstream effects.
Chemistry of the Cell02:58

Chemistry of the Cell

The cell is chemically composed of water, organic molecules and inorganic ions.
Water
The polarity of the water molecule and its resulting hydrogen bonding makes water a unique substance with special properties that are intimately tied to the processes of life. Life originally evolved in an aqueous environment, and most of an organism’s cellular chemistry and metabolism occur inside the aqueous contents of the cell’s cytoplasm. Special properties of water are its high heat capacity and heat of...
Chemistry of the Cell02:58

Chemistry of the Cell

The cell is chemically composed of water, organic molecules and inorganic ions.
Water
The polarity of the water molecule and its resulting hydrogen bonding makes water a unique substance with special properties that are intimately tied to the processes of life. Life originally evolved in an aqueous environment, and most of an organism’s cellular chemistry and metabolism occur inside the aqueous contents of the cell’s cytoplasm. Special properties of water are its high heat capacity and heat of...
Cell Adhesion Molecules - Types and Functions01:20

Cell Adhesion Molecules - Types and Functions

Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) are pivotal to multicellularity and the coordinated functioning of tissues and organ systems. They enable physical interactions between cells and provide mechanical strength to tissues. They also function as receptors for signal transmission across the plasma membrane. The CAMs are broadly classified into four families - integrins, cadherins, selectins, and immunoglobulin-like CAMs (IgCAMs).
CAM Families
The Integrin family of proteins is primarily  involved in a...
Introduction to Membrane Traffic01:44

Introduction to Membrane Traffic

The ER, Golgi apparatus, endosomes, and lysosomes work in tandem to modify, sort, and package proteins and lipids. An integrated membrane trafficking network facilitates the back and forth shuttling of molecules within different organelles in the same cell or across the cell membrane.
The transport of soluble and membrane proteins is mediated by transport vesicles that collect cargo from one cellular compartment and deliver it to another by fusing with the target organelle membrane. The Rab...
Cellular Membranes and Drug Transport01:24

Cellular Membranes and Drug Transport

Drugs must traverse multiple biological barriers, such as multi-layered skin, single-layered intestinal epithelium, and the plasma membrane, to reach their target sites within the body. The plasma membrane, a highly structured composite of phospholipids, carbohydrates, and proteins, is the cell's protective boundary, facilitating selective substance exchange.
Phospholipids arrange themselves into a bilayer, with hydrophilic heads oriented outward and hydrophobic tails facing inward.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 30, 2026

Identifying Cell Surface Markers of Primary Neural Stem and Progenitor Cells by Metabolic Labeling of Sialoglycan
11:39

Identifying Cell Surface Markers of Primary Neural Stem and Progenitor Cells by Metabolic Labeling of Sialoglycan

Published on: September 7, 2019

Chemistry and material science at the cell surface.

Weian Zhao1, Grace Sock Leng Teo, Namit Kumar

  • 1Harvard-MIT Division of Heath Sciences and Technology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School Harvard Stem Cell Institute, 65 Landsdowne Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.

Materials Today (Kidlington, England)
|September 28, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Chemists and material scientists are engineering cell surfaces to improve cell functions. These advances offer new diagnostic and therapeutic applications in cell therapy, tissue engineering, and bioimaging.

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Microcontact Printing of Proteins for Cell Biology
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Microcontact Printing of Proteins for Cell Biology

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Glycopeptide Capture for Cell Surface Proteomics

Published on: May 9, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 30, 2026

Identifying Cell Surface Markers of Primary Neural Stem and Progenitor Cells by Metabolic Labeling of Sialoglycan
11:39

Identifying Cell Surface Markers of Primary Neural Stem and Progenitor Cells by Metabolic Labeling of Sialoglycan

Published on: September 7, 2019

Microcontact Printing of Proteins for Cell Biology
09:21

Microcontact Printing of Proteins for Cell Biology

Published on: December 5, 2008

Glycopeptide Capture for Cell Surface Proteomics
10:11

Glycopeptide Capture for Cell Surface Proteomics

Published on: May 9, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Biomaterials science and chemistry
  • Cell biology and engineering

Background:

  • Cell surfaces offer opportunities for chemical and material scientists to modify cell functions.
  • Such modifications have implications for basic biological research, diagnostics, and therapeutics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advancements in cell surface engineering.
  • To highlight potential applications of surface-engineered cells in various fields.

Main Methods:

  • Focus on recent literature and research in cell surface engineering.
  • Categorization of applications into specific areas.

Main Results:

  • Engineered cell surfaces enable targeted cell delivery for therapy.
  • Surface modifications facilitate programmed cell assembly for tissue engineering.
  • Applications extend to bioimaging, sensing, and direct manipulation of cell biology.

Conclusions:

  • Cell surface engineering is a rapidly advancing field with broad applications.
  • These engineered cells hold significant promise for future medical and biological innovations.