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Related Concept Videos

Tension Response at Adherens Junctions01:26

Tension Response at Adherens Junctions

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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...
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Adherens Junctions01:24

Adherens Junctions

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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
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Catenins01:23

Catenins

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Catenins are characterized by multiple binding domains and dynamic structures that allow them to function as linker proteins in cell junction complexes. All catenins, except α-catenin, contain a characteristic protein sequence called the armadillo repeat and are therefore also called armadillo proteins.
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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...
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Cadherins in Tissue Organization01:19

Cadherins in Tissue Organization

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The cadherins are a superfamily of cell adhesion molecules comprising over 180 variants, with specific tissues expressing a particular combination of cadherin types. Cadherins generally exhibit homophilic binding; i.e., cadherins on one cell bind to cadherins of the same or closely related type on another cell. Thus, cells of the same type have a specific affinity to bind to each other and sort themselves into clusters to form tissues.
Cell Sorting During Development
Cell sorting plays an...
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Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions01:17

Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions

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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...
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Structure of Cadherins01:25

Structure of Cadherins

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The cadherins were one of the first cell adhesion molecules discovered; the term “cadherins”   is based on their calcium-dependent adhering properties. The first cadherins discovered on the epithelial, neuronal, and placental cells were named E-cadherin, P-cadherin, and N-cadherin, respectively. These classical cadherins share sequence and structural similarities. Other cadherins, including those involved in cell signaling, are grouped into non-classical cadherins. This...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 28, 2026

Bead Aggregation Assays for the Characterization of Putative Cell Adhesion Molecules
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Cadherin adhesion controlled by cortical actin dynamics.

Johan de Rooij1

  • 1Molecular Cancer Research, Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Nature Cell Biology
|May 31, 2014
PubMed
Summary

Intercellular tension strengthens cadherin cell-cell junctions. Myosin-dependent cytoskeletal tension reduces actin turnover, increasing cadherin molecule concentration and junction stability.

Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Biophysics
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Cadherin-based cell-cell junctions are crucial for tissue integrity.
  • These junctions are known to be mechanically regulated, responding to intercellular forces.
  • The precise molecular mechanisms underlying this mechanical response remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the role of the cortical actomyosin cytoskeleton in the mechanical regulation of cadherin adhesions.
  • To investigate how intercellular tension influences the dynamics of cadherin molecules within junctions.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized live-cell imaging and fluorescence microscopy to observe cadherin dynamics.
  • Employed genetic and pharmacological perturbations to modulate actomyosin contractility.

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  • Quantified actin turnover rates and cadherin mobility using FRAP (Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching).

    • Main Results:

    • Demonstrated that myosin-dependent tension in the cortical actomyosin cytoskeleton is essential for junction strengthening.
    • Showed that increased tension reduces actin turnover at the junctional-cytoskeletal interface.
    • Observed decreased mobility and increased concentration of cadherin molecules within junctions under tension.

    Conclusions:

    • Mechanical tension, mediated by the actomyosin cytoskeleton, actively remodels cadherin junctions.
    • Reduced actin dynamics is a key mechanism by which tension enhances junctional stability and size.
    • This provides a molecular basis for how cells sense and respond to mechanical cues to maintain tissue structure.