University of Pennsylvania Engineers Force Open Novel Protein Targets Within Stem Cells and Blood Cells

PHILADELPHIA - Applying physical stress to cells, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science have demonstrated that everyday forces can alter the structure of proteins tucked within cells, unfold them and expose new targets in the fight against disease. The findings for both simple red blood cells and more versatile stem cells show that hidden and folded parts of proteins can be exposed by physical strain, not just by chemical reaction. From there, proteins can be labeled and mapped, increasing the understanding of cellular behavior and unlocking novel targetable sites for drugs that might interact with these active proteins to treat disease.

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