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Updated: Apr 16, 2026

The Power of Simplicity: Sea Urchin Embryos as in Vivo Developmental Models for Studying Complex Cell-to-cell Signaling Network Interactions
Published on: February 16, 2017
Signalling scaffolds and local organization of cellular behaviour
Lorene K Langeberg1, John D Scott1
1Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.
Abstract:
Cellular responses to environmental cues involve the mobilization of GTPases, protein kinases and phosphoprotein phosphatases. The spatial organization of these signalling enzymes by scaffold proteins helps to guide the flow of molecular information. Allosteric modulation of scaffolded enzymes can alter their catalytic activity or sensitivity to second messengers in a manner that augments, insulates or terminates local cellular events. This Review examines the features of scaffold proteins and highlights examples of locally organized groups of signalling enzymes that drive essential physiological processes, including hormone action, heart rate, cell division, organelle movement and synaptic transmission.
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