Functional Cell Adhesion Receptors (Integrins) in Polymeric Architectures

Integrins, as transmembrane heterodimeric receptors, have important functions in cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, survival apoptosis and signal transduction, in many physio- as well as pathophysiological settings. Characterisation of integrins and their ligand/antagonist binding is notoriously difficult, due to high integrin redundancy and ubiquity. Bypassing the intrinsic difficulties of cell-based integrin expression, purification and reconstitution, we present for the first time the synthesis of a heterodimeric integrin receptor and its assembly into a block-copolymeric membrane mimic. We present comprehensive data to demonstrate the synthesis of functionally active integrin αvβ3, generated by in vitro membrane-assisted protein synthesis (iMAPS). This work represents the first step towards a robust and adaptable polymer-based platform for characterisation of integrin–ligand interactions.