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Related Concept Videos

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...
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:...
Tight Junctions01:29

Tight Junctions

Tight junctions are molecular seals between cells that prevent the leaking of fluids, ions, and other small solutes across cavities and compartments in multicellular organisms. They are mainly composed of claudin and occludin transmembrane proteins, and other proteins such as tricellulin and JAM (junctional adhesion molecule). All these proteins are 4-pass transmembrane proteins, except JAM, which is a single-pass transmembrane protein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily. The...
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...
Colonisation of Pathogens01:25

Colonisation of Pathogens

Pathogen colonization of host tissues is a critical step in the development of infectious diseases. Various pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa, have evolved complex strategies to attach to, invade, and persist within host environments. These mechanisms enable pathogens to establish infections, evade immune responses, and resist antimicrobial treatments.Attachment to Host CellsIn bacteria, colonization typically begins with adherence to host epithelial...
Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions01:14

Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

The complex three-dimensional arrangement of cells in any multicellular organism is defined and maintained by interactions of cells with each other and the extracellular matrix. Cell-cell junctions are specialized structures where the multi-protein complexes on one cell interact with the multi-protein complexes on another  cell. These cell junctions are classified  into three main types based on their function — occluding, anchoring, and gap junctions.
Occluding or Tight Junctions
Tight...

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Invasion of Human Cells by a Bacterial Pathogen
07:15

Invasion of Human Cells by a Bacterial Pathogen

Published on: March 21, 2011

Adherens junctions and pathogen entry.

Georgios Nikitas1, Pascale Cossart

  • 1Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, 11527, Athens, Greece.

Sub-Cellular Biochemistry
|June 8, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Pathogens disrupt epithelial barriers by targeting cell-cell adhesion molecules in junctional complexes. Understanding these microbial interactions reveals epithelial barrier functions and invasion mechanisms.

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Microbiology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Epithelia form protective barriers using cell-cell adhesion molecules organized in junctional complexes.
  • These complexes maintain epithelial integrity and impermeability against pathogens.
  • Pathogens have evolved mechanisms to breach these epithelial barriers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore how pathogens target and manipulate epithelial junctional complexes.
  • To understand the molecular mechanisms pathogens use to disrupt epithelial barriers.
  • To elucidate the fundamental physiological properties of epithelial barriers through microbial interactions.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on microbial pathogenesis and epithelial biology.
  • Analysis of molecular interactions between pathogens and junctional complex components.
  • Investigation of how pathogens exploit epithelial polarity and deliver effector molecules.

Main Results:

  • Pathogens directly target junctional components or indirectly destabilize them via secreted factors.
  • Alterations in epithelial polarity facilitate pathogen access to junctional complexes.
  • Microbial manipulation of junctions provides insights into invasion strategies.

Conclusions:

  • Pathogen interactions with epithelial junctions are crucial for invasion.
  • Studying these interactions enhances understanding of epithelial barrier physiology.
  • This knowledge can inform strategies against infectious diseases.