When two monomers pair for dimerization, what triggers this process?

The process of dimerization, where two monomers associate to form a dimer, is fundamentally influenced by the binding of a ligand to a specific receptor. When a ligand binds to a receptor, this interaction can induce conformational changes in the receptor, facilitating the pairing of monomers to form dimers. This is a common mechanism in many cellular signaling pathways, where receptor activation leads to the aggregation of receptors and subsequent cellular responses.

While other factors such as cellular energy levels and the presence of substrates can impact various biochemical processes, they do not specifically trigger dimerization in the context of receptor-ligand interactions. The activation of kinases may play a role in downstream signaling after dimerization occurs, but it is the initial binding of the ligand that is critical for initiating the dimerization process.