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Author Spotlight: Optogenetic Inhibition of Rho1-Mediated Actomyosin Contractility Coupled with Measurement of Epithelial Tension in Drosophila Embryos
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Author Spotlight: Optogenetic Inhibition of Rho1-Mediated Actomyosin Contractility Coupled with Measurement of Epithelial Tension in Drosophila Embryos

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Neuronal immunoglobulin superfamily cell adhesion molecules in epithelial morphogenesis: insights from Drosophila

Tara M Finegan1, Dan T Bergstralh1

  • 1Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
|August 25, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Immunoglobulin superfamily cell adhesion molecules (IgCAMs) play crucial roles in epithelial tissue development. Research suggests shared mechanisms between epithelial remodeling and neural axon guidance.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Epithelial tissues rely on cell adhesion molecules for structure and function.
  • Immunoglobulin superfamily cell adhesion molecules (IgCAMs) are well-established in neural development, particularly axon guidance.
  • Novel roles for calcium-independent IgCAMs in epithelial morphogenesis are emerging, especially from Drosophila research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the function of IgCAMs in epithelial tissues.
  • To analyze the molecular composition of epithelial lateral junctions, focusing on IgCAMs.
  • To explore functional and mechanistic conservation between epithelial remodeling and neural axon guidance.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on IgCAMs in epithelial and neural systems.
  • Analysis of molecular composition of epithelial lateral junctions.
  • Comparative analysis of mechanisms in epithelial morphogenesis and axon guidance.

Main Results:

  • IgCAMs have novel roles in epithelial morphogenesis, independent of calcium.
  • Epithelial lateral junctions share components with neural synaptic junctions.
  • Functional overlap exists between epithelial remodeling and axon guidance mechanisms.

Conclusions:

  • Non-cadherin-based adhesion is critical for understanding epithelial mechanics.
  • Epithelial occluding junctions and synaptic junctions may be compositionally equivalent.
  • Shared mechanisms likely underlie epithelial cell (re)integration and synaptic junction formation.

Keywords:
cell–cell adhesionepithelial junctionsimmunoglobulin superfamily

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