Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 25, 2026

An Immunofluorescent Method for Characterization of Barrett’s Esophagus Cells
Published on: July 20, 2014
[The expression of E-cadherin-catenin complex in human salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma]
1School of Stomatology,Shanghai Second Medical University. Shanghai 200011, China.
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of the E-cadherin-catenin(E-cad-cat) complex in human salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma(ACC) and determine the effects of E-cad-cat expression on tumor differentiation,metastasis and invasion as well as their clinical significance. METHODS:The expression of adhesion molecules,which included E-cadherin,alpha-catenin and beta-catenin,in 10 cases of normal salivary glands,50 cases of human salivary ACC was investigated by immunohistochemistry.RESULT:Co-expression of E-cadherin,alpha-catenin and beta-catenin was detected in 29(58%) of the 50 ACC specimens.Positive staining of E-cad-cat complex was detected in 7(39%) of the 18 ACC primary sites which had aggressive phenotype of nerve and vasculature.CONCLUSION:Strong positive signals of E-cad-cat complex were showed in normal salivary glands,and the down regulation expression was observed in ACC cases,The expression of E-cad-cat complex was associated with a more aggressive phenotype on nerve and vasculature.No association with various histopathologic subtypes was found;Down-regulation of E-cad-cat complex may be associated with canceration of normal salivary glands.
Related Concept Videos
Cadherins in Tissue Organization
Cell Sorting During Development
Cell sorting plays an...
Structure of Cadherins
Catenins
Catenins in Cell Junctions
Catenins bind to cell adhesion molecules such as cadherins and link them to different cytoskeletal proteins depending on the type of cell junction. At the adherens...
Adherens Junctions
Adherens Junctions are Dynamic
The endothelial cells...
Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules
Ig-CAMs exhibit either homophilic binding (to other Ig-CAMs) or heterophilic binding (to other ligands such as integrins). While most Ig-CAMs...
Metastasis
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or EMT is a developmental process commonly observed in wound healing, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. EMT is induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands, which further...
