Answer to Question #95013 in Cell Biology for Heidi Schoen

Question

How might substrate specificity play a role in the cell-cell identification process that features glycoproteins and receptors? What are the real-world human health consequences of this specificity?

Answer 1

Cell surface receptors are specific to the glycoproteins and there can be differentiation made among the different cell types on the basis of their receptors. For example, the viruses and bacteria can gain entry into the cells by copying the glycoproteins specific to those receptors.

Generally, the specific glycoproteins bind to the specific receptors present on specific cells for example FSH or follicle stimulating hormone binds to sex organs like uterus and ovaries and exerts its effects. But it cannot bind o other cells for it has no receptors present on other cells. Like this, receptors help in the differentiation among different cell types.

This can be used in the context of health as these receptors can be copied by the drugs and send into the cells to exert the effect to combat the disease.