Functionalization of Mammalian Cell Surface
Faculty Mentor Information
Dr. Daniel Fologea, Boise State University
Presentation Date
7-2023
Abstract
Non-destructive surface modification of natural and artificial membranes provides opportunities for novel medical and biotechnological applications. The cell membrane is equipped with surface reactive moieties that can be modified for targeted alterations. Traditional functionalization based on chemical bonding may significantly alter cell viability or produces off-target modifications. One of the possible solutions is to exploit the physical properties of membranes for surface functionalization. We show that lipophilic moieties can be inserted stably into the hydrophobic core of the membrane to serve as linkers for other substances. For this purpose, we investigated FSL and PEG conjugates for membrane functionalization of Red Blood Cells and Jurkat cells. We also focused on qualitative and quantitative analyses of the density of functional groups added to cell surfaces by employing Kinetics Exclusion Assay (KinExA) and microscopy.
Functionalization of Mammalian Cell Surface
Non-destructive surface modification of natural and artificial membranes provides opportunities for novel medical and biotechnological applications. The cell membrane is equipped with surface reactive moieties that can be modified for targeted alterations. Traditional functionalization based on chemical bonding may significantly alter cell viability or produces off-target modifications. One of the possible solutions is to exploit the physical properties of membranes for surface functionalization. We show that lipophilic moieties can be inserted stably into the hydrophobic core of the membrane to serve as linkers for other substances. For this purpose, we investigated FSL and PEG conjugates for membrane functionalization of Red Blood Cells and Jurkat cells. We also focused on qualitative and quantitative analyses of the density of functional groups added to cell surfaces by employing Kinetics Exclusion Assay (KinExA) and microscopy.