Adherens junctions balance stability and motility: from cell morphogenesis to neural tissue patterning

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Developmental Biology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Adherens junctions are critical for epithelial tissue organization and collective cell behavior.
• They mediate cell adhesion via cadherins/nectins and link to the actin cytoskeleton through scaffolds like catenin and afadin.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the mechanisms and roles of molecular scaffolds in adherens junctions.
• Focus on their contribution to cellular morphogenesis and collective cell behavior, particularly in neural tissue patterning.

Main Methods:

• This review synthesizes existing literature on adherens junction function.
• Discusses molecular mechanisms within the framework of stability versus dynamic adhesion demands.

Main Results:

• Molecular scaffolds regulate localization, mechanosensitive adhesion, and cytoskeleton tension.
• These scaffolds support both supracellular stability and dynamic cellular interactions for morphogenesis.
• Scaffolding mechanisms are relevant for patterning of cell bodies and neuronal growth cones.

Conclusions:

• Molecular scaffolds at adherens junctions are essential for coordinating collective cell behavior in tissue patterning.
• Their dual role in stability and dynamic adhesion is key for neural development.
• These principles may extend to patterning mechanisms across various tissue types.