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Related Concept Videos

Tension Response at Adherens Junctions01:26

Tension Response at Adherens Junctions

The adherens junctions that anchor cells together are multi-protein complexes that dynamically adapt to mechanical stimuli such as tensile forces and shear stress. Mechanosensory proteins in these junctions can sense such mechanical stimuli and undergo a shift in their conformation, resulting in an altered function — a process called mechanotransduction.
α-Catenin as a Mechanosensory Protein
The α-catenin of adherens junctions is an allosteric protein with three VH (vinculin homology) domains...
Adherens Junctions01:24

Adherens 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...
Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions01:17

Intracellular 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...
Anchoring Junctions01:03

Anchoring Junctions

Anchoring junctions are multiprotein complexes that help cells connect to other cells and the extracellular matrix. Anchoring junctions are present on the lateral and basal surfaces of cells, providing strong and flexible connections. Focal adhesions are often formed due to cell interactions with the ECM substrata, which initiate signal transduction via kinase cascades and other mechanisms. Together, they provide stability and tissue integrity. There are three types of anchoring junctions:...
Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...

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Ligand Nano-cluster Arrays in a Supported Lipid Bilayer
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Synapse adhesion: a dynamic equilibrium conferring stability and flexibility.

Deanna L Benson1, George W Huntley

  • 1Department of Neuroscience and the Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, United States. Deanna.Benson@mssm.edu

Current Opinion in Neurobiology
|October 25, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) form stable cell junctions. Despite their role in stability, cadherins dynamically regulate adhesion, junction size, and actin dynamics, crucial for cell and synapse function.

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Neuroscience
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) link the cytoskeleton to create stable cell-cell junctions.
  • Cadherins are a key example of CAMs, known for their role in cell adhesion.
  • The dynamic nature of cadherin interactions is crucial for maintaining stable junctions in various cell types.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the paradoxical transient and regulatable interactions of cadherins.
  • To understand how cadherin dynamics influence junction stability and cell behavior.
  • To investigate the role of cadherins and similar CAMs at neuronal synapses.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of cadherin-cytoskeleton interactions.
  • Investigation of cadherin clustering and F-actin dynamics.
  • Examination of cadherin recycling at the cell surface.
  • Comparative study of CAMs in epithelial cells and neuronal synapses.

Main Results:

  • Cadherin adhesion is modulated by clustering and transient interactions with F-actin.
  • Cadherin recycling dynamically alters junction size, location, and adhesion strength.
  • Cadherins, integrins, and other CAMs collaborate at synapses to maintain stable yet flexible structures.

Conclusions:

  • Dynamic regulation of cadherin interactions is essential for maintaining stable epithelial junctions.
  • Cadherins and associated CAMs play a vital role in synapse structure and function.
  • These CAMs provide a stable yet adaptable framework supporting synaptic plasticity and information flow.