Cell-surface sensors for real-time probing of cellular environments

• Main Authors: Zhao, Weian (Contributor), Schafer, Sebastian (Contributor), Choi, Jonghoon (Contributor), Yamanaka, Yvonne Joy (Contributor), Lombardi, Maria L. (Author), Bose, Suman (Contributor), Carlson, Alicia L. (Author), Phillips, Joseph A. (Contributor), Teo, Weisuong (Contributor), Droujinine, Ilia A. (Contributor), Cui, Cheryl (Contributor), Jain, Rakesh K. (Author), Lammerding, Jan (Author), Love, J. Christopher (Contributor), Lin, Charles (Author), Sarkar, Debanjan (Contributor), Karnik, Rohit (Contributor), Karp, Jeffrey Michael (Contributor)
• Other Authors: Harvard University- (Contributor), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biological Engineering (Contributor), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Chemical Engineering (Contributor), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering (Contributor)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nature Publishing Group, 2013-05-13T20:54:09Z.
• Subjects: Article
• Online Access: Get fulltext

Author Manuscript 2012 August 1.
The ability to explore cell signalling and cell-to-cell communication is essential for understanding cell biology and developing effective therapeutics. However, it is not yet possible to monitor the interaction of cells with their environments in real time. Here, we show that a fluorescent sensor attached to a cell membrane can detect signalling molecules in the cellular environment. The sensor is an aptamer (a short length of single-stranded DNA) that binds to platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and contains a pair of fluorescent dyes. When bound to PDGF, the aptamer changes conformation and the dyes come closer to each other, producing a signal. The sensor, which is covalently attached to the membranes of mesenchymal stem cells, can quantitatively detect with high spatial and temporal resolution PDGF that is added in cell culture medium or secreted by neighbouring cells. The engineered stem cells retain their ability to find their way to the bone marrow and can be monitored in vivo at the single-cell level using intravital microscopy.
National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant HL097172)
National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant HL095722)
National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant DE019191)
National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant NIAID 5RC1AI086152)
Charles A. Dana Foundation
American Heart Association (Grant 0970178N)
National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Graduate Fellowship)