ligand

A ligand is a molecule binding to a protein playing the role of receiver. The liaison to the ligand by the receiver is a specific relation which triggers an intracellular signaling and a phenotypic modification in the cell that expresses this receiver. In the case of exosomes, a ligand present on the surface of an exosome can be recognized by a target cell which has a receiver on its surface capable of recognizing the ligand to then be internalized within it.