In situ synthesis of lipopeptides as versatile receptors for the specific binding of nanoparticles and liposomes to solid-supported membranes.
A detailed study of the in situ coupling of small peptides such as CGGH6 (H6) and CGWK8 (K8) to maleimide functionalized phospholipid bilayers is presented. Individually addressable microstructured membranes are employed to unequivocally probe the conjugation. The in situ coupling of peptides via a terminal cysteine moiety to maleimide functionalized phospholipids is shown to be a convenient and versatile way to selectively fabricate peptide-modified phospholipid bilayers serving as specific receptor platforms for functionalized vesicles and nanoparticles. Specific binding of functional vesicles to the peptide-modified bilayers is achieved by either histidine complexation with Ni-NTA-DOGS c…
Direct pericyte-to-neuron reprogramming via unfolding of a neural stem cell-like program
Ectopic expression of defined transcription factors can force direct cell-fate conversion from one lineage to another in the absence of cell division. Several transcription factor cocktails have enabled successful reprogramming of various somatic cell types into induced neurons (iNs) of distinct neurotransmitter phenotype. However, the nature of the intermediate states that drive the reprogramming trajectory toward distinct iN types is largely unknown. Here we show that successful direct reprogramming of adult human brain pericytes into functional iNs by Ascl1 and Sox2 encompasses transient activation of a neural stem cell-like gene expression program that precedes bifurcation into distinct…