ArticleNature2017
Molecular machines open cell membranes.
Article in Nature, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 104 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
104 citing papers in PubMed, 363 citations in OpenAlex.
- Nucleic acid aptamers: new methods for selection, target validation, molecular diagnostics and therapeutics.Signal transduction and targeted therapy · 2026Review
- Competing Photoisomerization and Excited-State Intramolecular Proton Transfer in a Visible-Light-Driven Salicylidene Schiff Base Functionalized Molecular Motor: Insights from Ultrafast Nonadiabatic Dynamics Simulations.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Article
- A Long-Term Plasma Membrane-Anchored Photosensitizer for Pyroptosis-Induced Anticancer Therapy.Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) · 2026Article
- Molecular jackhammers induce intracellular calcium release and skeletal muscle contraction by vibronic-driven action.Chemical science · 2026Article
- Light-Induced Rotation of a Molecular Motor in the Confined Space of a Metal-Organic Nanocage.Journal of the American Chemical Society · 2026Article
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- Photoisomerizing molecules in biological membranes.Nature reviews. Chemistry · 2026Review
- Programmed Cell Death via Type IV Photodynamic Therapy Using Internalized Two-Photon Activated Molecular Nanomachines.ACS applied bio materials · 2025Article
- Molecular motor-driven reversible liquid-liquid phase separation of supramolecular assemblies.Nature communications · 2025Article
- Light-triggered molecular mechanotherapy of tumor using membrane-mimicking conjugated oligoelectrolytes.Science advances · 2025Article
- Heavy-Atom Free Bodipy-Borafluorene Photosensitizer Decorated with Coumarin Antenna Selectively Staining Endoplasmic Reticulum for Application in PDT.Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) · 2025Article
- Supramolecular polymerization through rotation of light-driven molecular motors.Nature nanotechnology · 2025Article
- In silico study of active delivery of a photodynamic therapy drug targeting the folate receptor.Photochemical & photobiological sciences : Official journal of the European Photochemistry Association and the European Society for Photobiology · 2025Article
- First principles prediction of wavelength-dependent isomerization quantum yields of a second-generation molecular nanomotor.Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP · 2025Article
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- General strategy for boosting the performance of speed-tunable rotary molecular motors with visible light.Science advances · 2025Article
- A Multiresponsive Ferrocene-Based Chiral Overcrowded Alkene Twisting Liquid Crystals.Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English) · 2025Article
- Effect of a photoswitchable rotaxane on membrane permeabilization across lipid compositions.Beilstein journal of organic chemistry · 2025Article
- Review
44 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
Beyond the more common chemical delivery strategies, several physical techniques are used to open the lipid bilayers of cellular membranes. These include using electric and magnetic fields, temperature, ultrasound or light to introduce compounds into cells, to release molecular species from cells or to selectively induce programmed cell death (apoptosis) or uncontrolled cell death (necrosis). More recently, molecular motors and switches that can change their conformation in a controlled manner in response to external stimuli have been used to produce mechanical actions on tissue for biomedical applications. Here we show that molecular machines can drill through cellular bilayers using their molecular-scale actuation, specifically nanomechanical action. Upon physical adsorption of the molecular motors onto lipid bilayers and subsequent activation of the motors using ultraviolet light, holes are drilled in the cell membranes. We designed molecular motors and complementary experimental protocols that use nanomechanical action to induce the diffusion of chemical species out of synthetic vesicles, to enhance the diffusion of traceable molecular machines into and within live cells, to induce necrosis and to introduce chemical species into live cells. We also show that, by using molecular machines that bear short peptide addends, nanomechanical action can selectively target specific cell-surface recognition sites. Beyond the in vitro applications demonstrated here, we expect that molecular machines could also be used in vivo, especially as their design progresses to allow two-photon, near-infrared and radio-frequency activation.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.