Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

CELLISA - a cell-cell binding assay for evaluation of nanovesicle targeting proteins.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

Distinguishing Pseudotransduction and True Transduction Enables Characterization and Bioengineering of Extracellular Vesicle-Adeno-Associated Virus Vectors.

Journal of extracellular vesicles·2026

Same author

GCAD: A Computational Framework for Mammalian Genetic Program Computer-Aided Design.

ACS synthetic biology·2026

Same author

What do you most hope we will achieve with mammalian synthetic biology within the next decade?

Cell systems·2025

Same author

GCAD: a Computational Framework for Mammalian Genetic Program Computer-Aided Design.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025

Same author

Conversion of natural cytokine receptors into orthogonal synthetic biosensors.

Nature chemical biology·2025

Same journal

A Framework for the In Vivo Production of Extensively Engineered Thiopeptides.

ACS synthetic biology·2026

Same journal

A Highly Stringent Split Intein-Mediated DHFR Selectable Marker Enables Efficient Development of High-Producing CHO Cells for Therapeutic Proteins.

ACS synthetic biology·2026

Same journal

Breaking the Stability-Activity-Selectivity Trilemma in Unspecific Peroxygenase through Computation-Based Cross-Regional Combinatorial Mutagenesis.

ACS synthetic biology·2026

Same journal

Sequential Plasmid Curing and Genome Editing in <i>Escherichia coli</i> Nissle 1917.

ACS synthetic biology·2026

Same journal

An Explainable Deep Learning Framework Integrating DNA Sequence and Transcription Initiation Signals for Gene Expression Prediction.

ACS synthetic biology·2026

Same journal

A Multitask Prediction Framework for CircRNAs, Drugs, and Diseases Based on Multi-View Information Integration and Graph Contrastive Learning.

ACS synthetic biology·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 2, 2026

Design, Surface Treatment, Cellular Plating, and Culturing of Modular Neuronal Networks Composed of Functionally Inter-connected Circuits

Design, Surface Treatment, Cellular Plating, and Culturing of Modular Neuronal Networks Composed of Functionally Inter-connected Circuits

Published on: April 15, 2015

Modular extracellular sensor architecture for engineering mammalian cell-based devices.

Nichole M Daringer¹, Rachel M Dudek, Kelly A Schwarz

¹Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.

ACS Synthetic Biology

|March 12, 2014

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed a Modular Extracellular Sensor Architecture (MESA) for mammalian synthetic biology. This technology enables engineered cells to detect specific external molecules without interfering with natural cell functions, advancing biosensor development.

Keywords:

biosensor cell therapy mammalian synthetic biology receptor engineering

More Related Videos

Fabrication of a Multiplexed Artificial Cellular MicroEnvironment Array

Fabrication of a Multiplexed Artificial Cellular MicroEnvironment Array

Published on: September 7, 2018

In Vitro Multiparametric Cellular Analysis by Micro Organic Charge-modulated Field-effect Transistor Arrays

In Vitro Multiparametric Cellular Analysis by Micro Organic Charge-modulated Field-effect Transistor Arrays

Published on: September 20, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 2, 2026

Design, Surface Treatment, Cellular Plating, and Culturing of Modular Neuronal Networks Composed of Functionally Inter-connected Circuits

Design, Surface Treatment, Cellular Plating, and Culturing of Modular Neuronal Networks Composed of Functionally Inter-connected Circuits

Published on: April 15, 2015

Fabrication of a Multiplexed Artificial Cellular MicroEnvironment Array

Fabrication of a Multiplexed Artificial Cellular MicroEnvironment Array

Published on: September 7, 2018

In Vitro Multiparametric Cellular Analysis by Micro Organic Charge-modulated Field-effect Transistor Arrays

In Vitro Multiparametric Cellular Analysis by Micro Organic Charge-modulated Field-effect Transistor Arrays

Published on: September 20, 2021

Area of Science:

Synthetic biology
Cellular engineering
Biotechnology

Background:

Engineering mammalian cells for physiological monitoring and therapy is a key area in synthetic biology.
Current technologies lack specificity, relying on native cellular pathways prone to crosstalk.
A need exists for orthogonal systems to sense extracellular cues exclusively.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a novel technology for engineered mammalian cells to sense extracellular ligands.
To create a versatile and tunable platform for biosensor development.
To enable precise monitoring and modulation of human physiology.

Main Methods:

Introduction of Modular Extracellular Sensor Architecture (MESA), a self-contained, orthogonal receptor and signal transduction platform.
Utilizing independent, tunable protein modules for MESA engineering and optimization.
Demonstrating ligand-inducible MESA activation and biosensor output generation.

Main Results:

Successful demonstration of ligand-inducible MESA signaling.
Optimization of MESA receptor performance through design-based approaches.
Generation of MESA biosensors with transcriptional or transcription-independent enzymatic outputs.

Conclusions:

MESA provides a systematic and quantitative framework for engineering novel sensors.
The platform's orthogonality minimizes interference with native cellular processes.
MESA facilitates the integration of engineered sensors into diverse synthetic biology applications.