Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 3, 2026
10:37
Induction and Analysis of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition
Published on: August 27, 2013
Mitogenic effects of lectins on epithelial cells
1Gastroenterology Research Group, Department of Medicine, University of Liverpool, UK.
Methods in Molecular Medicine
|March 5, 2011
Summary
Lectins bind to cell surface carbohydrates, initiating signal transduction. This interaction notably triggers lymphocyte proliferation, making lectins valuable tools for studying immune cell activation.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Immunology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Lectins bind to cell surface carbohydrates (glycoproteins and glycolipids).
- This binding initiates diverse signal transduction pathways.
- Lectins induce mitogenic stimulation, a key effect on cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of lectin-carbohydrate interactions in cell signaling.
- To highlight the mitogenic effects of lectins on lymphocytes.
- To underscore the utility of lectins in lymphocyte activation research.
Main Methods:
- Investigating lectin binding to cell surface glycans.
- Analyzing downstream signal transduction events.
- Observing lymphocyte responses to lectin stimulation.
Main Results:
- Specific lectin binding triggers signal transduction pathways.
- Lectins induce significant mitogenic stimulation in lymphocytes.
- Lymphocytes are triggered into growth and proliferation.
Conclusions:
- Lectin-carbohydrate interactions are crucial for cell signaling.
- Lectins are potent mitogens for lymphocytes.
- Lectins are essential tools for studying lymphocyte activation and proliferation.
Related Concept Videos
02:38Mitogens and the Cell Cycle
Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
01:25Selectins
Cell adhesion is an essential aspect of multicellularity. While stable cell interactions usually occur between cells of the same type, transient cell interactions occur between cells of different tissue types, such as between neutrophils and endothelial cells. Selectins are one class of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) that bind carbohydrate ligands to form transient cell adhesion. They are rod-like proteins with a long extracellular part of variable length ending with the lectin domain, which...
01:17Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions
Integrins act both as extracellular input receivers and as intracellular processing activators. As their name suggests, integrins are entirely integrated into the membrane structure. Their hydrophobic membrane-spanning regions interact with the phospholipid bilayer's hydrophobic region. These membrane receptors provide extracellular attachment sites for effectors like hormones and growth factors. They activate intracellular response cascades when their effectors are bound and active.
Some...
Some...
02:30Metastasis
Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from the original site to distant locations in the body. Cancer cells can spread via blood vessels (hematogenous) as well as lymph vessels in the body.
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...
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...
01:24Adherens Junctions
Strong contact points between adjacent cells anchor them to each other, forming tissues. Such anchoring junctions are of two types – adherens junctions and desmosomes. Adherens junctions are abundant in tissues such as epithelium and endothelium, forming a continuous zone of adhesion called the adhesion belt. In other tissues, such as heart muscle, they appear as clusters, linking the cells to produce coordinated heart muscle contraction.
Adherens Junctions are Dynamic
The endothelial cells...
Adherens Junctions are Dynamic
The endothelial cells...
01:12Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
Notch signaling was first discovered in Drosophila melanogaster, where it is involved in cell lineage differentiation. Notch signaling regulates the maintenance and differentiation of intestinal stem cells or ISCs by controlling the expression of atonal homolog 1 or Atoh1. Atoh1 directs cells to differentiate into secretory cells.
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...