Molecular machines talk to living cells for the first time

An image showing the receptor as a blue, elongated structure sitting in the middle of a cell membrane shown as a perpendicular cross section

Source: © Shutterstock

Artificial molecular motors gently pull on cells’ membrane receptors to trigger a biochemical response

For the first time, an artificial molecular motor has been created that can ‘talk’ to living cells – by gently pulling their surface with enough physical force to elicit a biochemical response. The approach could help scientists decode the language that cells use to communicate with each other in tissues.