Cell-cell interfaces are found throughout multicellular organisms, from transient interactions between motile immune cells to long-lived cell-cell contacts in epithelia. In this review, we summarize recent findings that support the emerging view of cell-cell interfaces as specialized compartments that biophysically constrain the arrangement and activity of their protein, lipid, and glycan components. Studies of immune cell interactions, epithelial cell barriers, neuronal contacts, and sites of cell-cell fusion have identified a core set of features shared by cell-cell interfaces that critically control their function. Data from diverse cell types show that cells actively and passively regulate the localization, strength, duration, and cytoskeletal coupling of receptor interactions governing cell-cell signaling and physical connections between cells. We review how these biophysical features of cell-cell interfaces, which drive unique membrane organization from local molecular and cellular mechanics, allow cells to respond selectivity and sensitivity to multiple inputs, serving as the basis for wide-ranging cellular function and as opportunities for therapeutic intervention.
Glycoproteins in focus
Metabolic labeling of azido sugars combined with two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy enables the visualization of specific glycoforms of endogenous proteins. This method can be utilized to detect glycosylated proteins in both cell culture and intact human tissue slices.
Controlled free-radical polymerization 1 has become an intensively investigated area of research due to its high tolerance of polar functionalities and its ability to develop well-defined macromolecular architectures (e.g., stable free-radical polymerization, 2 atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), 3-5 reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer, 6 and degenerative chain transfer polymerization 7 ). Recently, attempts to conduct the synthesis of well-defined polymers by ATRP in more environmentally friendly media, such as aqueous dispersed systems, have been explored. 8 In particular, the miniemulsion polymerization approach 9 is well-suited to enhance the colloidal stability and facilitate a controlled radical polymerization by eliminating the requirement for mass transfer of the radical activator/deactivator through the aqueous phase, normally occurring during an emulsion polymerization. 10,11 Under miniemulsion conditions, block copolymers can be successfully synthesized using the simultaneous reverse and normal initiation (SR&NI) 12 or activator generated by electron transfer (AGET), 13 both requiring the use of surfactants as particle stabilizers
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.