Allosteric modulation is a form of protein regulation in which an effector molecule binds to a site on a protein that is distinct from the active site, leading to a change in the protein's activity or function. This type of regulation allows for the fine-tuning of the protein's activity in response to different environmental signals or cellular conditions. Allosteric modulation is a key mechanism in many cellular processes, including signal transduction, enzyme regulation, and gene expression. Researchers study allosteric modulation to better understand how proteins function and to develop new drugs that target allosteric sites for therapeutic purposes.