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Related Concept Videos

Cell-surface Signaling01:21

Cell-surface Signaling

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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.
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Types of Receptors: Cell Surface Receptors01:28

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Cell-surface receptors, also known as transmembrane receptors, are cell surface, membrane-anchored (integral) proteins that bind to external ligand molecules. This type of receptor spans the plasma membrane and performs signal transduction, converting an extracellular signal into an intracellular signal. Ligands that interact with cell-surface receptors do not have to enter the cell that they affect. Cell-surface receptors are also called cell-specific proteins or markers because they are...
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In multicellular organisms, many molecules transmit signals between cells to pass information. These signals vary in complexity and include small peptides, nucleotides, steroids, fatty acid derivatives, and dissolved gases such as nitric oxide. Some signaling molecules diffuse through the plasma membrane to act locally between neighboring cells or travel long distances. Others remain attached to the cell surface, transmitting information to other cells only when they make contact. In some...
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Immunoglobulin-like cell adhesion molecules or Ig-CAMs are a versatile group of cell surface glycoproteins belonging to the immunoglobulin protein superfamily. Ig-CAMs possess the characteristic immunoglobulin protein domains and other domains such as the fibronectin type III domain. The Ig domains are glycosylated to varying degrees in different Ig-CAMs.
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The glycocalyx is a carbohydrate-rich, fuzzy-appearing layer on the outer surface of the cell membrane. It is highly hydrophilic, because of this it attracts large amounts of water to the cell's surface. This aids the cell's interaction with the watery environment and also helps it to obtain substances dissolved in the water. It is also important for cell identification, self/non-self determination, and embryonic development and is used in cell-to-cell attachments to form tissues.
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A generic cell surface ligand system for studying cell-cell recognition.

Eleanor M Denham1, Michael I Barton1, Susannah M Black1

  • 1Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom.

Plos Biology
|December 10, 2019
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed a new system to precisely control and quantify cell surface ligand density. This breakthrough enables detailed studies of receptor biology and immune cell activation, advancing our understanding of cell signaling.

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Immunology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Dose-response experiments are crucial for understanding receptor function in cell biology.
  • Studying cell surface receptors is limited by difficulties in precisely controlling ligand density at cell interfaces.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a generic cell surface ligand system for precise manipulation and quantification of ligand densities.
  • To investigate the impact of ligand density, valency, dimensions, and affinity on receptor activation.
  • To enable broader studies of receptor-ligand interactions and signal integration.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a novel system for engineering cell surface ligand densities over several orders of magnitude.
  • Quantified ligand densities robustly, overcoming limitations of previous methods.
  • Validated the system using immunoreceptors, including the T-cell receptor (TCR), and chimeric antigen receptors.

Main Results:

  • The system allows for precise and robust control over cell surface ligand densities.
  • Demonstrated that the generic ligand stimulates the T-cell receptor (TCR) at comparable surface densities to native ligands.
  • Extended the system's application to chimeric antigen receptor activation.

Conclusions:

  • The developed system provides a powerful tool for investigating cell surface receptor-ligand interactions.
  • Facilitates detailed studies on how ligand properties influence receptor activation and signaling.
  • Opens new avenues for research in immunology and cell signaling by enabling systematic manipulation of the cell-cell interface.