MAKING CONNECTIONS: ENGINEERING CELL-CELL INTERACTIONS WITH DNA CIRCUITS

摘要

Because cell-cell interactions control so many important biological processes, finding ways to manipulate this phenomenon could shed light on fundamental multicelluar behaviors and open new opportunities for manipulating these interactions for cell-based therapies. Researchers have developed various strategies for programming multicellular assemblies in complex reaction pathways, including creating circuits by genetically engineering cell surface receptors. However, this approach has several drawbacks, including inefficient gene transfer, laborious protocols, and safety issues.