{"title":"Clustering of Membrane Receptors: Insights from DNA Origami-Based Approaches","authors":"Carmen M. Domínguez, Christof M. Niemeyer","doi":"10.1002/smll.202503543","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Cell signaling enables cells to interpret and respond to their environment, relying on receptor interactions that regulate key biological functions. While receptor-ligand affinity is crucial, receptor clustering plays a central role in modulating signaling efficiency, influenced by factors such as membrane diffusivity, lipid organization, and receptor-receptor interactions. While advances in imaging have long contributed to a better understanding of this fundamental biological mechanism, recent breakthroughs in nanotechnology, particularly the use of DNA origami nanostructures (DONs), now enable the precise manipulation of receptor-ligand interactions. This opens up unprecedented insights into the dynamics of signal transduction at the nanoscale and holds promising potential for innovative therapeutic applications. The examples presented in this article, based on various classes of receptors, illustrate how these groundbreaking developments can not only lead to a more detailed mechanistic understanding, but also pave the way for the development of new molecular therapies.","PeriodicalId":228,"journal":{"name":"Small","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Small","FirstCategoryId":"88","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202503543","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Cell signaling enables cells to interpret and respond to their environment, relying on receptor interactions that regulate key biological functions. While receptor-ligand affinity is crucial, receptor clustering plays a central role in modulating signaling efficiency, influenced by factors such as membrane diffusivity, lipid organization, and receptor-receptor interactions. While advances in imaging have long contributed to a better understanding of this fundamental biological mechanism, recent breakthroughs in nanotechnology, particularly the use of DNA origami nanostructures (DONs), now enable the precise manipulation of receptor-ligand interactions. This opens up unprecedented insights into the dynamics of signal transduction at the nanoscale and holds promising potential for innovative therapeutic applications. The examples presented in this article, based on various classes of receptors, illustrate how these groundbreaking developments can not only lead to a more detailed mechanistic understanding, but also pave the way for the development of new molecular therapies.
期刊介绍:
Small serves as an exceptional platform for both experimental and theoretical studies in fundamental and applied interdisciplinary research at the nano- and microscale. The journal offers a compelling mix of peer-reviewed Research Articles, Reviews, Perspectives, and Comments.
With a remarkable 2022 Journal Impact Factor of 13.3 (Journal Citation Reports from Clarivate Analytics, 2023), Small remains among the top multidisciplinary journals, covering a wide range of topics at the interface of materials science, chemistry, physics, engineering, medicine, and biology.
Small's readership includes biochemists, biologists, biomedical scientists, chemists, engineers, information technologists, materials scientists, physicists, and theoreticians alike.