Surface Receptor Labeling
Surface Receptor Labeling - Related Videos
01:28
Types of Receptors: Cell Surface Receptors
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2023
Cell-surface receptors, also known as transmembrane receptors, are cell surface, membrane-anchored (integral) proteins that bind to external ligand molecules. This type of receptor spans the plasma membrane and performs signal transduction, converting an extracellular signal into an intracellular signal. Ligands that interact with cell-surface receptors do not have to enter the cell that they affect. Cell-surface receptors are also called cell-specific proteins or markers because they are...
08:39
Affinity Labeling Detection of Endogenous Receptors from Zebrafish Embryos
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Cited by 1 •
2016
A novel technique for the detection of low abundance endogenous receptors present in zebrafish embryos is described. We have named it AFLIP because it consists of affinity labeling of the receptor by its ligand linked to immunoprecipitation.
04:55
Assaying Surface Expression of Chemosensory Receptors in Heterologous Cells
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Cited by 6 •
2011
Here we demonstrate a protocol to carry out live cell staining that can be used to detect odorant receptors on the surface of HEK293T cells conveniently. In addition, it may also be used to assay for surface expression of other chemosensory receptors or GPCRs.
08:49
Cell Surface Receptor Identification Using Genome-Scale CRISPR/Cas9 Genetic Screens
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Cited by 8 •
2020
This manuscript describes a genome-scale cell-based screening approach to identify extracellular receptor-ligand interactions.
10:13
Measuring G-protein-coupled Receptor Signaling via Radio-labeled GTP Binding
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Cited by 11 •
2017
Guanosine triphosphate (GTP) binding is one of the earliest events in G-Protein-Coupled Receptor (GPCR) activation. This protocol describes how to pharmacologically characterize specific GPCR-ligand interactions by monitoring the binding of the radio-labeled GTP analog, [35S]guanosine-5'-O-(3-thio)triphosphate ([35S]GTPγS), in response to a ligand of interest.
FAQs
The labeling probe binds the receptor’s extracellular domain, the portion exposed outside the cell membrane. Performing this interaction under conditions that preserve viability keeps the cell intact while maintaining receptor accessibility. This allows the detected signal to reflect receptors available for immune recognition or signaling rather than proteins that became exposed through cell damage.
Accessibility determines whether the antibody or ligand can reach its binding site, while viability helps preserve the cell’s normal surface state. If either condition is poorly maintained, the measured signal may not accurately represent receptor abundance. Preserving both factors is therefore important when comparing immune cells or assessing changes after pathogen exposure.
A fluorescent or other detectable tag converts receptor binding into a measurable signal. The signal can indicate relative receptor abundance and help distinguish populations that differ in their surface proteins. In immunology, these differences provide a way to examine cellular communication and immune recognition at the level of exposed membrane receptors.
Comparing labeled receptors before and after pathogen exposure can reveal changes in surface receptor abundance or accessibility. Those changes may provide evidence of altered immune activation, recognition, or cellular communication. The resulting measurements help connect changes on immune-cell membranes with broader host-pathogen interactions and mechanisms associated with disease.
A typical workflow selects an antibody or ligand directed against the receptor’s extracellular domain, links it to a fluorescent or other detectable tag, and applies it to viable cells under conditions that preserve receptor accessibility. Researchers then measure the resulting signal with flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, or cell sorting, depending on the experimental goal.
Flow cytometry is suited to measuring receptor abundance across cells, whereas fluorescence microscopy shows labeling in the context of individual cells. Cell sorting uses the detected signal to separate populations with different receptor profiles. Choosing among these approaches depends on whether the study prioritizes quantitative comparison, visual examination, or recovery of selected immune-cell groups.
Measurements of exposed receptors can distinguish immune-cell populations and compare their receptor abundance. These profiles support analysis of how cells recognize signals, communicate with one another, or change during infection-related conditions. Because the readout focuses on the cell surface, it is especially relevant to interactions that depend on externally accessible receptor molecules.
In immunology and infection studies, surface receptor measurements connect membrane-level observations with host-pathogen biology. Researchers can examine receptor patterns among immune-cell populations and monitor how pathogen exposure changes those patterns. Such results contribute to studies of immune activation, cellular communication, disease mechanisms, and the ways cells participate in recognition during infection.