"Cell glue" will help restore nerves and grow organs from scratch
Scientists have designed the "glue" so that they can control which cells it interacts with, as well as regulate the nature of the process.Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have developed molecules that function as "cellular glue. According to a press release, this is an important step toward the long-term goal of regenerative medicine - creating new tissues and organs from scratch.
Adhesive molecules are naturally present in the body and hold tens of trillions of cells together in organized structures. They build neural networks and direct immune cells to specific areas of the body. Adhesion facilitates cell communication to keep the body functioning.
Scientists have now designed the molecules to control which cells they interact with, as well as to regulate the nature of this process.
Body organs and tissues are formed in utero and continue to develop after birth. Many of the molecular instructions controlling these reproductive processes disappear in adulthood. And some tissues, such as nerves, are unable to recover from injury or disease.
Scientists have tried to correct this. They have developed adhesion molecules that work like "cell glue" and consist of two parts. This will help control the quality of cell bonding. One part of the molecule functions as a receptor outside the cell and chooses which ones to contact. The strength of the binding is regulated by a second component located inside. Both parts are interchangeable.
Such "cell glue" also comes in handy for research. The study of individual molecules will give scientists a complete picture of how the transition from single-celled species to multicellular species occurred. Cell adhesion was an important milestone in the evolution of mammals and other organisms.
Source: Programming multicellular assembly with synthetic cell adhesion molecules | Nature