Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 10, 2025

A Flow Cytometry-Based Cell Surface Protein Binding Assay for Assessing Selectivity and Specificity of an Anticancer Aptamer
10:46

A Flow Cytometry-Based Cell Surface Protein Binding Assay for Assessing Selectivity and Specificity of an Anticancer Aptamer

Published on: September 13, 2022

4.0K

Modifications of Plasma Membrane Organization in Cancer Cells for Targeted Therapy

Anna Choromańska1, Agnieszka Chwiłkowska1, Julita Kulbacka1

  • 1Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska 211A, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
|April 3, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Altering cancer cell membranes offers a promising targeted therapy approach to improve drug delivery and enhance chemotherapy effectiveness. Strategies focus on modulating the cell membrane for future cancer treatment protocols.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Biochemistry
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Cancer cell membrane modifications are a promising avenue for targeted therapy.
  • Altering the cell membrane can improve drug uptake and enhance cancer cell response to chemotherapy.
  • Understanding drug resistance, ion channels, and receptors is vital for effective cell membrane-targeted treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review strategies for modulating or reorganizing the cancer cell membrane.
  • To present cell membrane modulation as an alternative therapeutic tool.
  • To highlight the importance of cell membrane organization in targeted cancer therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on cell membrane modification techniques.
  • Analysis of pharmacological, physical, and mechanical methods for lipid bilayer alteration.
  • Discussion of factors influencing cell membrane-targeted treatment efficacy.

Main Results:

  • Cell membrane modulation strategies can significantly enhance drug uptake.
  • Targeted modifications can intensify cancer cell response to chemotherapeutics.
  • Several methods exist for achieving lipid bilayer modifications.

Conclusions:

  • Cell membrane modulation represents a viable alternative strategy for future cancer therapeutic protocols.
  • Careful consideration of drug resistance and cellular components is essential for successful treatment planning.
  • Targeted cancer therapy via cell membrane modification holds significant potential.
Keywords:
cancer cellselectroporationion channel modulationmembrane receptors modulationmicrogravitymultidrug resistanceplasma membranesonoporationtargeted therapy

More Related Videos

Characterization of Cell Membrane Extensions and Studying Their Roles in Cancer Cell Adhesion Dynamics08:11

Characterization of Cell Membrane Extensions and Studying Their Roles in Cancer Cell Adhesion Dynamics

Published on: March 26, 2018

8.6K
Targeted Plasma Membrane Delivery of a Hydrophobic Cargo Encapsulated in a Liquid Crystal Nanoparticle Carrier10:16

Targeted Plasma Membrane Delivery of a Hydrophobic Cargo Encapsulated in a Liquid Crystal Nanoparticle Carrier

Published on: February 8, 2017

7.8K

Related Concept Videos

Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
8.0K
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine02:50

Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine

Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
5.5K
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells02:53

Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells

Cancer cells accumulate genetic changes at an abnormally rapid rate due to the defects in the DNA repair mechanisms. From an evolutionary perspective, such genetic instability is advantageous for cancer development. Mutant cell lines accumulate a series of beneficial mutations that contribute to their progression into cancer.
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
6.1K
Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia01:35

Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia

Invadosome is a broad category of cell surface structures with proteolytic activity that  degrades the extracellular matrix (ECM). Invadosomes are present in normal cell types, including macrophages, endothelial cells, and neurons, as well as tumor cells. Although the macrophage podosomes and tumor cell invadopodia are classified as invadosomes, they have different structures, molecular pathways, and functions. Podosomes are short structures that last for a few minutes. However,...
2.6K
Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance02:40

Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance

Early diagnosis and treatment can often cure cancer. However, even with treatment, residual cells called cancer stem cells (CSC) might remain, often causing tumor recurrence. These cancer stem cells possess the potential for self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation and are often responsible for the therapeutic resistance displayed in most cancers.
Cancer stem cells are thought to originate from tissue-specific normal stem cells or progenitor cells. The normal stem cells usually reside in...
5.2K
Enlargement of the Plasma Membrane01:22

Enlargement of the Plasma Membrane

Cell division and enlargement are processes that require precise control. The control ensures that cell division cannot proceed unless the cell has grown to a specific size. A spherical, dividing cell requires an approximately 1.6X increase in its surface area to double its volume. The secretory pathway also has a significant role in cell membrane enlargement. Secretory vesicles that bud off from the Golgi apparatus and later fuse with the plasma membrane during exocytosis are a major source of...
2.1K