title: Equilibrium mechanisms of receptor clustering.
abstract: Receptor clustering is a well-established feature of transmembrane signalling. In some cellular systems, clusters form dynamically in response to activation by an extracellular ligand; in others, extensive 2-dimensional arrays of receptors persist for long periods of time on the cell surface. Compelling evidence has accumulated that the interactions between receptors within a cluster play an important role in the signalling process. Here, we review statistical mechanical models that describe how clusters may be generated and maintained by the equilibrium thermodynamic interactions between receptors, the extracellular ligands that bind to their periplasmic domains, and cytosolic 'adaptor proteins' that bind to the cytoplasmic domains of the receptors. We discuss how adaptor proteins might permit cells to exert control over the propensity of cluster formation, and to target clusters to specific locations on the cell surface. We further outline how differential interactions between active and inactive receptors can enhance the sensitivity of the cellular response through the mechanism of 'conformational spread'.
authors.affiliation: London Centre for Nanotechnology and Department of Physics and Astronomy, UCL, London WC1E 6BT, UK. t.duke@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Duke
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Graham
mesh_terms: D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002628:Chemoreceptor Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D008024:Ligands; D008954:Models, Biological; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface