ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Cell-cell fusogens

Okay kiddo, so you know how our body is made up of many tiny parts called cells, right? Well, these cells need to communicate with each other to work together and perform their functions properly. And sometimes, they need to join together or fuse to form a bigger structure.

Cell-cell fusogens are kind of like the glue that helps cells stick together and fuse. They are proteins that are located on the surface of cells and can bind to other cells or to other molecules on the surface of cells.

When two cells want to fuse together, their cell-cell fusogens start to interact with each other, like puzzle pieces fitting together. The fusogens then cause the membranes of the two cells to come closer and eventually fuse together, like two soap bubbles merging into one.

This process is really important in many parts of our body, like during embryonic development, when new tissues are formed by cell fusion. It also helps in the healing of wounds, where cells need to come together and grow back the tissue that was damaged.

So, in summary, cell-cell fusogens are like the glue that helps cells stick together and fuse, which is important for our body to grow and heal properly.