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<b><br>
</b> <font size=5>The Whitehead Institute presents:<br><br>
</font><h1><font size=6><b>Jay T. Groves<br>
</b></font></h1><h3><b>Department of Chemistry<br>
</b></h3><h4><b>UC Berkeley<br><br>
<br>
</b></h4><h2><font size=5><b>"Pattern formation and signal
transduction at intercellular synapses"</b></font></h2> <br>
<font size=4><b><i>Abstract:<br>
</i></b></font>Coordinated rearrangement of cell membrane receptors into
large-scale patterns is emerging as a broadly significant theme of
intercellular signal transduction. In an effort to help unravel the
mechanisms governing protein organization at intercellular synapses and
the role of this organization in signal transduction, we have dissected
living T cell immunolgical synapses in a hybrid live cell - supported
membrane configuration. Nanometer-scale patterns of fluid lipid
membranes, displaying cell recognition and signaling molecules, have been
constructed on solid substrates by a combination electron-beam and
scanning-probe lithographic techniques, along with membrane self
assembly. When doped with appropriate proteins, supported membranes
mimic and antigen presenting cell and can form synapses with living T
cells. The substrate nanostructures guide the mobility of membrane-linked
proteins and, correspondingly, the motion of their cognate partner
proteins within living cells. A critical feature of this strategy
is that proteins displayed in the supported membrane exhibit diffusive
mobility. This enables formation of functional synaptic structures
with living cells by permitting the necessary protein
rearrangements. The manner in which precisely defined geometrical
restrictions frustrate or facilitate synapse formation and signaling in
living cells can be used to elucidate the mechanisms and functional
consequences of molecular patterns at intercellular synapses.<br><br>
<br>
<font size=4><b><i>Location & Date:<br>
</i></b></font><x-tab> </x-tab><b>Whitehead
Institute Auditorium<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>March 10,
2004<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>2pm-3pm<br><br>
</b>Sponsored by: Paul Matsudaira<br><br>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<b>Dawn Davis Loring<br>
</b>Communications Coordinator<br>
Computational and Systems Biology (CSBi)<br>
Phone: (617) 324-0150 <br>
Fax: (617) 324-0081<br><br>
<font size=1>Massachusetts Institute of Technology<br>
77 Massachusetts Avenue<br>
Building 68 - Room 459<br>
Cambridge, MA 02139</font></body>
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