Sociable receptors: Cells take clues from other cells to direct behavior
Wednesday, February 5, 2014 - 15:21
in Biology & Nature
When cells migrate in the body, for instance, during development, or when neurons establish new connections, cells need to know where they are going. A 'wrong turn' will generally cause disease or developmental disorders. The cells take direction cues from other cells with which they interact, and which they then repel after a short period of contact. Among those direction cues are ephrin ligands, recognized by Eph receptors on the cell. Scientists have discovered that Eph receptors must form groups of three or four in order to become active and transmit the signal.