Lectin-mediated protocell crosslinking to mimic cell-cell junctions and adhesion.

ABSTRACT: Cell adhesion is a crucial feature of all multicellular organisms, as it allows cells to organise themselves into tissues to carry out specific functions. Here, we present a mimetic approach that uses multivalent lectins with opposing binding sites to crosslink glycan-functionalised giant unilamellar vesicles. The crosslinking process drives the progression from contact puncta into elongated protocellular junctions, which form the vesicles into polygonal clusters resembling tissues. Due to their carbohydrate specificity, different lectins can be engaged in parallel with both natural and synthetic glycoconjugates to generate complex interfaces with distinct lectin domains. In addition, the formation of protocellular junctions can be combined with adhesion to a functionalised support by othe

SUBMITTER: Villringer S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5792463 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature