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Updated: Nov 9, 2025

Detecting and Characterizing Protein Self-Assembly In Vivo by Flow Cytometry
Published on: July 17, 2019
Higher-order assemblies in immune signaling: supramolecular complexes and phase separation
Shiyu Xia1, Zhenhang Chen2,3, Chen Shen1
1Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, and Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Abstract:
Signaling pathways in innate and adaptive immunity play vital roles in pathogen recognition and the functions of immune cells. Higher-order assemblies have recently emerged as a central principle that governs immune signaling and, by extension, cellular communication in general. There are mainly two types of higher-order assemblies: 1) ordered, solid-like large supramolecular complexes formed by stable and rigid protein-protein interactions, and 2) liquid-like phase-separated condensates formed by weaker and more dynamic intermolecular interactions. This review covers key examples of both types of higher-order assemblies in major immune pathways. By placing emphasis on the molecular structures of the examples provided, we discuss how their structural organization enables elegant mechanisms of signaling regulation.
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