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Related Concept Videos

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
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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.
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Cell Adhesion in Plants01:14

Cell Adhesion in Plants

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Plants have rigid cell walls that are made up of cell wall polysaccharides that mediate cell-cell adhesion. The primary cell walls of plants consist of two independent and interacting polysaccharide networks: a pectin matrix that embeds the second network comprising cellulose and hemicelluloses.
Pectins are complex heteropolymers mainly composed of negatively-charged α-D-glucopyranosyl uronic acid and some neutral glycosyl residues such as α-L-rhamnopyranose, α-L-arabinofuranose,...
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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
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Anchoring Junctions01:03

Anchoring Junctions

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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:...
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Overview of Cell-Matrix Interactions01:24

Overview of Cell-Matrix Interactions

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The extracellular matrix or ECM holds cells together to form a tissue and allows the cells within the tissue to communicate. ECM comprises proteins such as fibronectin, collagen, laminin, etc. The most abundant protein in this space is collagen. Collagen fibers are interwoven with carbohydrate-containing protein molecules called proteoglycans. ECM allows cell migration and provides a structural scaffold at cell adhesion that anchors the cell when the extracellular matrix proteins interact with...
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Updated: Dec 7, 2025

Control of Cell Adhesion using Hydrogel Patterning Techniques for Applications in Traction Force Microscopy
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Control of Cell Adhesion using Hydrogel Patterning Techniques for Applications in Traction Force Microscopy

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An adhesion code ensures robust pattern formation during tissue morphogenesis.

Tony Y-C Tsai1, Mateusz Sikora2, Peng Xia2

  • 1Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Avenue, Boston MA 02115, USA.

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|October 2, 2020
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Neural progenitor cells in zebrafish form robust patterns through differential cell adhesion, guided by cadherin expression and sonic hedgehog signaling. This interplay ensures accurate tissue development despite cellular rearrangements.

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Patterning the Geometry of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Colonies on Compliant Substrates to Control Tissue-Level Mechanics
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Simple, Affordable, and Modular Patterning of Cells using DNA
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Patterning the Geometry of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Colonies on Compliant Substrates to Control Tissue-Level Mechanics
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Simple, Affordable, and Modular Patterning of Cells using DNA
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Simple, Affordable, and Modular Patterning of Cells using DNA

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Area of Science:

  • Developmental biology
  • Cell biology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Animal development requires precise spatial and temporal organization of cell types.
  • Robust pattern formation is essential, especially in dynamic environments like the developing zebrafish spinal cord.
  • Neural progenitors must establish stereotypic patterns despite variable morphogen signaling and cellular movements.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mechanisms underlying robust neural progenitor patterning in the zebrafish spinal cord.
  • To provide evidence for the differential adhesion model in mediating cell sorting and tissue organization.
  • To elucidate the role of specific cadherins and morphogen gradients in this process.

Main Methods:

  • Direct measurement of adhesion forces and preferences for three endogenous neural progenitor types.
  • Analysis of cell type-specific combinatorial expression of cadherins (N-cadherin, cadherin 11, protocadherin 19).
  • Investigation of the regulation of the differential adhesion code by the sonic hedgehog morphogen gradient.

Main Results:

  • Differences in intercellular adhesion mediate cell sorting, supporting the differential adhesion model.
  • Combinatorial expression of cadherins leads to homotypic preference ex vivo and robust patterning in vivo.
  • The differential adhesion code is regulated by the sonic hedgehog morphogen gradient.

Conclusions:

  • Differential adhesion, mediated by specific cadherin combinations, is a key mechanism for robust neural progenitor patterning.
  • The interplay between adhesion-based self-organization and morphogen-directed patterning ensures robust tissue morphogenesis.
  • This study elucidates how cellular adhesion contributes to developmental pattern robustness in the zebrafish spinal cord.