Saturday, October 11, 2025
Science
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Scienmag
No Result
View All Result
Home Science News Medicine

Scientists synthesize novel artificial molecules that mimic a cell membrane protein

August 25, 2025
in Medicine
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
65
SHARES
592
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT

Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) recently developed an artificial transmembrane ligand-gated channel that can mimic the biological structure and function of its natural counterpart. The findings address one of the roadblocks in biomimetic material research, as the artificial molecule locates in the membrane of a living cell on its own and successfully transports the ions in a regulated manner. This could advance the research in the field of sensing and separation device development.

In higher organisms, cells and organelles are surrounded by a membrane, which plays a crucial role in not just creating a barrier from the external environment but also mediating exchange of fluids, electrolytes, proteins, and other useful material. Usually, these membranes are composed of water-repelling layers formed by lipid molecules, with various “transmembrane” proteins embedded in this double-layered sheet. These proteins are assembled in a way such that they create unique “gates” or “channels” that open and close in response to selective molecules or ions under specific conditions. These properties of “selectivity” and “sensing capacity” of a biological membrane come from its sophisticated structure, and together they make these membranes an attractive model for the synthesis of novel materials used to develop advanced sensing and separation devices. However, artificially developing such molecular assemblies―that can assemble itself in a membrane in a functionally active orientation―has remained challenging until now.

Advancing the research on artificial molecules, in a study published in Nature Communications別窓 , scientists from Tokyo Tech developed a synthetic channel that can mimic the ion-transporting activity of natural ion channels. Prof Kazushi Kinbara and Prof Takahiro Muraoka, the co-authors of the study, explain, “A major obstacle that limits the application of artificial transmembrane molecules is achieving the functionally active orientation. We tried to create a transmembrane molecule that would overcome this difficulty.”

To achieve this goal, the scientists focused on the structure of a biological ion channel that spans the membrane multiple times, and used it as the basis to design two artificial molecules. These molecules were composed of both water-repelling structural blocks, called BPO unit, and water-soluble parts called oligoethylene glycol chains. These structural features lend these artificial molecules the capacity to self-aggregate when embedded in membranes. The molecules also contained phosphate groups that further helped them to achieve the correct orientation across the membranes.

Next, the scientists focused on one of the two molecules, to analyze its structural properties. They observed that when suitable bait-like “ligand” molecules were added to a solution containing the artificial molecule, they successfully bound to the structure―confirming that the structure was indeed functionally active. Moreover, when these molecules were introduced to a preformed membrane, they could insert and orient themselves in the membrane on their own. In the presence of the specific ligands, the membrane-embedded macromolecules changed their structures and transported ions, including lithium, potassium, and sodium ions. Because the synthetic molecule showed promising results with artificial membranes, the scientists then tested it in living cells. Using a technique called fluorescence microscopy, they observed that the macromolecule showed the same functional properties, including differential ligand binding and regulated ion transport activities, in biological membranes too!

Taken together, the study shows how an artificially designed molecule can self-assemble, localize, orient, and mimic the biological ion transport process. These findings can potentially spur advances in the field of biomimetic regulation. The authors optimistically conclude, “The promising results of our study addressed a persistent limitation that blocked the way of using artificial biomimetic membrane proteins in applied fields.”

Tags: advanced material synthesisadvanced sensing device developmentartificial cell membrane proteinsartificial transmembrane proteinsbiological membrane propertiesbiomimetic material researchcell membrane structure and functionion transport regulationligand-gated channelslipid molecule membranesmembrane protein functionsmembrane protein mimeticsnovel artificial moleculesselective ion exchange mechanismssensing and separation devicessynthetic biology advancementssynthetic cell membrane structuresTokyo Institute of Technology researchtransmembrane ligand-gated channels
Share26Tweet16
Previous Post

Exercise can now be prescribed like medicine for people with and beyond cancer

Next Post

USF awarded four-year, $69.9 million NIH grant to continue type 1 diabetes research

Related Posts

blank
Medicine

Health Behavior Patterns in Chinese Women Aged 40+

October 11, 2025
blank
Medicine

Amino Acids and Microbiota: Key to Ulcerative Colitis Healing

October 11, 2025
blank
Medicine

Innovations in Hereditary Angioedema Treatment: Present & Future

October 11, 2025
blank
Medicine

Factors Influencing Complete Child Immunization in Ghana

October 11, 2025
blank
Medicine

Factors Influencing Complete Child Immunization in Ghana

October 11, 2025
blank
Medicine

Optimizing Recruitment and Biospecimen Collection in Studies

October 11, 2025
Next Post
blank

USF awarded four-year, $69.9 million NIH grant to continue type 1 diabetes research

  • Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    27565 shares
    Share 11023 Tweet 6889
  • University of Seville Breaks 120-Year-Old Mystery, Revises a Key Einstein Concept

    972 shares
    Share 389 Tweet 243
  • Bee body mass, pathogens and local climate influence heat tolerance

    647 shares
    Share 259 Tweet 162
  • Researchers record first-ever images and data of a shark experiencing a boat strike

    514 shares
    Share 206 Tweet 129
  • Groundbreaking Clinical Trial Reveals Lubiprostone Enhances Kidney Function

    481 shares
    Share 192 Tweet 120
Science

Embark on a thrilling journey of discovery with Scienmag.com—your ultimate source for cutting-edge breakthroughs. Immerse yourself in a world where curiosity knows no limits and tomorrow’s possibilities become today’s reality!

RECENT NEWS

    • Compactness Limit for Exotic Stars
    • Tightening Bounds on Non-Black Stars
    • Exotic Stars: New Compactness Limits
    • Linear Equation of State Mystery
    • Beyond Black Holes: Compactness Revealed
  • Health Behavior Patterns in Chinese Women Aged 40+
  • Measuring AI: The Power of Algorithmic Generalization
  • Week-Long Course Enhances Scientific Skills in Students

Categories

  • Agriculture
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Athmospheric
  • Biology
  • Blog
  • Bussines
  • Cancer
  • Chemistry
  • Climate
  • Earth Science
  • Marine
  • Mathematics
  • Medicine
  • Pediatry
  • Policy
  • Psychology & Psychiatry
  • Science Education
  • Social Science
  • Space
  • Technology and Engineering

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 5,188 other subscribers

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Discover more from Science

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading