Genes implicated in translation control have been associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). However, some important genetic causes of autism, including the 16p11.2 microdeletion, bear no obvious connection to translation. Here, we use proteomics, g ...
Organoids, miniature tissues generated from self-organizing stem cells within three-dimensional (3D) extracellular matrices (ECM), have opened up exciting possibilities for in vitro studies of complex physiological processes. A key factor in the success of ...
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a widely used imaging tool for obtaining a variety of information for a range of samples. Although it was initially intended to serve as a method of observing very flat solid surfaces, its use expanded into several other fi ...
Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) are synthetic, transmembrane proteins that trigger immune cell signaling following their engagement. They have been first utilized in T cells and later in natural killer (NK) cells to redirect their cytotoxicity toward a s ...
Cell-cell communication is fundamental for immune balance. Multivalent interactions of surface receptors at immune interfaces drive specific communication, with stimulatory and inhibitory signals guiding the immune outcome. Notably, the valency, affinity, ...
Viruses initiate invasion by binding to cell surface glycoproteins. Materials mimicking the carbohydrate motifs of these glycoproteins, such as heparan sulfate (HS) and sialic acid (SA) can block viral attachment and inhibit the infection. Multivalent disp ...
Synthetic biology aims to engineer cells as miniature biological devices to sense, process, and respond to exogenous stimuli. Protein switches are designed to sense and respond to various molecular queues in a fast and specific manner, which fits the requi ...
Within the extracellular matrix, matricellular proteins are dynamically expressed nonstructural proteins that interact with cell surface receptors, growth factors, and proteases, as well as with structural matrix proteins. The cellular communication networ ...
All cells need to be able to sense their environment, and adapt their metabolism, growth and cell division appropriately. In this study, I examined the response of Schizosaccharomyces pombe to a change in the carbon source and how that affects cytokinesis. ...
All cells need to be able to sense their environment, and adapt their metabolism, growth and cell division appropriately. In this study, I examined the response of Schizosaccharomyces pombe to a change in the carbon source and how that affects cytokinesis. ...
Activin-A, a transforming growth factor ê µ family member, is a pleiotropic cytokine with diverse functions in development, fertility, adult tissue homeostasis, and aging. Accordingly, deregulation of Activin-A signaling has been associated with many patho ...
In the last years, it has been demonstrated a link between the overload of metal ions inside nervous system cells and the onset of severe neurodegenerative diseases. This prompted the investigation of the structural and functional properties of transporter ...
Communication across membranes controls critical cellular processes and is achieved by receptors translating extracellular signals into selective cytoplasmic responses. While receptor tertiary structures can be readily characterized, receptor associations ...
Targeting cells specific to type and state remains a challenge in developing effective therapies, sensitive diagnostics, also robust and versatile tissue engineering. A promising strategy is to focuses on improving the inherent selectivity of the targeting ...
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are 7-transmembrane alpha-helical integral membrane proteins on which cells heavily rely to receive information regarding their external environment. These receptors are able to transfer information to intracellular down ...
The human CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that plays a major role in inflammation and is involved in cancer, HIV, and COVID-19. Despite its importance as a drug target, the molecular activation mechanism of CCR5, i.e., ...
For several years, drugs with reactive electrophilic appendages have been developed. These units typically confer prolonged residence time of the drugs on their protein targets, and may assist targeting shallow binding sites and/or improving the drug-prote ...
The invasive behavior of glioblastoma, the most aggressive primary brain tumor, is considered highly relevant for tumor recurrence. However, the invasion zone is difficult to visualize by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and is protected by the blood brain ...
The form and structure of biological tissues define their function. The emergence of tissue morphology during development is one of the wonders of nature. Cells mechanically probe and manipulate their surroundings while constructing structures from the ext ...
Tissues morphogenesis and homeostasis involve the spatiotemporal regulation of mechanics at multiple scales. Characterization of mechanical properties of biological systems as well as investigating the effects of mechanical forces on biological function ar ...
