Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Real-time Imaging of Endothelial Cell-cell Junctions During Neutrophil Transmigration Under Physiological Flow
Published on: August 14, 2014
Reversibility of increased microvessel permeability in response to VE-cadherin disassembly
1Department of Pharmacology, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA.
Abstract:
We determined the role of vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin complex in regulating the permeability of pulmonary microvessels. Studies were made in mouse lungs perfused with albumin-Krebs containing EDTA, a Ca(2+) chelator, added to study the VE-cadherin junctional disassembly. We then repleted the perfusate with Ca(2+) to restore VE-cadherin integrity. Confocal microscopy showed a disappearance of VE-cadherin immunostaining in a time- and dose-dependent manner after Ca(2+) chelation and reassembly of the VE-cadherin complex within 5 min after Ca(2+) repletion. We determined the (125)I-labeled albumin permeability-surface area product and capillary filtration coefficient (K(fc)) to quantify alterations in the pulmonary microvessel barrier. The addition of EDTA increased (125)I-albumin permeability-surface area product and K(fc) in a concentration-dependent manner within 5 min. The permeability response was reversed within 5 min after repletion of Ca(2+). An anti-VE-cadherin monoclonal antibody against epitopes responsible for homotypic adhesion augmented the increase in K(fc) induced by Ca(2+) chelation and prevented reversal of the response. We conclude that the disassembled VE-cadherins in endothelial cells are mobilized at the junctional plasmalemmal membrane such that VE-cadherins can rapidly form adhesive contact and restore microvessel permeability by reannealing the adherens junctions.
Related Concept Videos
Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply
Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions
Some...
Adherens Junctions
Adherens Junctions are Dynamic
The endothelial cells...
Tension Response at Adherens Junctions
α-Catenin as a Mechanosensory Protein
The α-catenin of adherens junctions is an allosteric protein with three VH (vinculin homology) domains...
Vascular Spasm

