Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Adherens Junctions01:24

Adherens Junctions

5.2K
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
5.2K
Tension Response at Adherens Junctions01:26

Tension Response at Adherens Junctions

3.0K
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...
3.0K
Anchoring Junctions01:03

Anchoring Junctions

4.1K
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:...
4.1K
Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces01:13

Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces

2.8K
In animal cells, the extracellular matrix allows cells within tissues to withstand external stresses and transmits signals from the outside of the cell to the inside. The extracellular matrix is extensive, and its composition varies between different types of tissues. For example, the reticular fibers and ground substance make up the ECM in loose connective tissue, while collagen and bone minerals make up the ECM of bone tissue. 
Anchoring junctions mechanically attach a cell to the...
2.8K
Overview of Cell-Matrix Interactions01:24

Overview of Cell-Matrix Interactions

7.8K
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...
7.8K
Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions01:17

Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions

2.9K
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...
2.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Fasciclin 2 Cooperates with Discs Large to Maintain Epithelial Architecture.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

A screen for adherens junction proteins regulating collective cell migration and testis morphogenesis reveals important roles for the Rab GAP RN-tre and the kinase Par-1.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Generation and maintenance of apical rib-like actin fibers in epithelial support cells of the Drosophila eye.

Development (Cambridge, England)·2026
Same author

A key role of Canoe's intrinsically disordered region in linking cell junctions to the cytoskeleton.

The Journal of cell biology·2025
Same author

Emergence of cellular nematic order is a conserved feature of gastrulation in animal embryos.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

Plexin/Semaphorin antagonism orchestrates collective cell migration and organ sculpting by regulating epithelial-mesenchymal balance.

Science advances·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 13, 2025

Analyzing Cell Surface Adhesion Remodeling in Response to Mechanical Tension Using Magnetic Beads
07:55

Analyzing Cell Surface Adhesion Remodeling in Response to Mechanical Tension Using Magnetic Beads

Published on: March 8, 2017

8.6K

Multivalent interactions make adherens junction-cytoskeletal linkage robust during morphogenesis.

Kia Z Perez-Vale1, Kristi D Yow2, Ruth I Johnson3

  • 1Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.

The Journal of Cell Biology
|November 11, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cellular integrity during development relies on linking adherens junctions to the actomyosin cytoskeleton. Key protein Canoe

More Related Videos

Bead Aggregation Assays for the Characterization of Putative Cell Adhesion Molecules
08:15

Bead Aggregation Assays for the Characterization of Putative Cell Adhesion Molecules

Published on: October 17, 2014

10.7K
Using Cell-substrate Impedance and Live Cell Imaging to Measure Real-time Changes in Cellular Adhesion and De-adhesion Induced by Matrix Modification
09:11

Using Cell-substrate Impedance and Live Cell Imaging to Measure Real-time Changes in Cellular Adhesion and De-adhesion Induced by Matrix Modification

Published on: February 19, 2015

11.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 13, 2025

Analyzing Cell Surface Adhesion Remodeling in Response to Mechanical Tension Using Magnetic Beads
07:55

Analyzing Cell Surface Adhesion Remodeling in Response to Mechanical Tension Using Magnetic Beads

Published on: March 8, 2017

8.6K
Bead Aggregation Assays for the Characterization of Putative Cell Adhesion Molecules
08:15

Bead Aggregation Assays for the Characterization of Putative Cell Adhesion Molecules

Published on: October 17, 2014

10.7K
Using Cell-substrate Impedance and Live Cell Imaging to Measure Real-time Changes in Cellular Adhesion and De-adhesion Induced by Matrix Modification
09:11

Using Cell-substrate Impedance and Live Cell Imaging to Measure Real-time Changes in Cellular Adhesion and De-adhesion Induced by Matrix Modification

Published on: February 19, 2015

11.1K

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Embryogenesis involves dynamic cell shape changes and migration crucial for tissue formation.
  • Maintaining epithelial integrity during these processes necessitates robust connections between cell-cell junctions and the cytoskeleton.
  • The molecular mechanisms underlying these essential junction-cytoskeletal linkages, particularly in response to mechanical forces, remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which the Canoe protein links adherens junctions to the actomyosin cytoskeleton during Drosophila morphogenesis.
  • To investigate the role of specific Canoe domains in mediating junctional stability, mechanosensing, and cytoskeletal recruitment under mechanical tension.
  • To define the contribution of Canoe to overall junctional robustness and cellular integrity during development.

Main Methods:

  • Genetic engineering of the Drosophila canoe locus to create domain-specific mutants.
  • Live imaging and microscopy to observe cell behavior and protein localization during embryogenesis.
  • Analysis of cellular viability, junctional stability, and protein recruitment under varying mechanical conditions.

Main Results:

  • Surprisingly, the PDZ and FAB domains of Canoe are dispensable for viability and mechanosensitive recruitment to stressed junctions.
  • The FAB domain provides partial stabilization to junctions under high force, but its absence is largely compensated by redundant interactions.
  • The Rap1-binding RA domains are essential for all Canoe functions, including enrichment at tensioned junctions, highlighting their critical role.

Conclusions:

  • Junctional robustness during morphogenesis is achieved through a complex protein network with multivalent interactions, rather than solely through direct F-actin linkages.
  • Specific domains within linker proteins like Canoe play differential roles, with some being more critical for mechanotransduction and structural integrity.
  • The findings support a model where the integrity of cellular structures relies on a network of interacting proteins, with key nodes and connections being vital.