Receptorami

Receptorami is a neologism used in speculative biology to describe a proposed class of engineered cell-surface receptors that recognize defined ligands and trigger programmable intracellular responses. The term is not part of standard biology and is not widely used in peer‑reviewed literature; descriptions commonly appear in theoretical discussions and science fiction.

A receptorami typically comprises three modular parts: an extracellular ligand-binding domain, a transmembrane scaffold, and an intracellular signaling effector domain. The binding domain is designed to bind specific ligands, which may be synthetic small molecules, peptides, or natural products. The signaling domain can couple to G proteins, kinases, or transcriptional regulators, enabling outputs such as calcium flux, gene expression changes, or metabolic shifts. The modular design aims for interchangeability of parts to customize ligand specificity and readout.

Mechanistically, ligand binding is proposed to induce conformational changes that recruit adaptor proteins and activate downstream signaling cascades. Because both binding and signaling modules are interchangeable, receptorami can be tailored for different cellular contexts and readouts.

Potential applications include cell-based biosensors, programmable therapies in regenerative medicine, and environmental monitoring. In fictional settings, receptorami are often portrayed as controllable switches for engineered cells, integrating signals from multiple inputs to produce a safe, tunable response.

Limitations and challenges include achieving high specificity to avoid cross-reactivity, ensuring stability and proper trafficking in vivo, minimizing immunogenicity, and addressing ethical and regulatory considerations.