What is the ‘Fork Initiation and Zipper’ model? The ‘Fork Initiation and Zipper’ Model Nectin-nectin cis interactions enable the formation of nectin-nectin trans interactions on apposing cells. These interactions, being uncooperative and short-lived in nature, are suited to the exploratory cell behavior initiated between [...]

What is the role of cadherin and nectin recruitment in adherens junction assembly? Cadherin Recruitment Type I cadherins, also known as classical cadherins, are commonly found in adherens junctions (AJs) and desmosomes. They are produced as a precursor polypeptide that is non-adhesive. This pro-form [...]

What is the role of plaque proteins in adherens junction assembly? Cytoplasmic plaque of adherens junctions One of the primary roles of cell-cell adhesion complexes is to connect the actomyosin network of one cell to that of neighboring cells and facilitate the generation and [...]

What is the role of adaptor proteins in the stabilization and function of core adherens junction components? Recruitment of plaque proteins to adherens junctions The difficulties in establishing a direct link between the α-catenin–β-catenin complex and the actin cytoskeleton underlies a higher degree of [...]

How is the cytoskeleton linked to adherens junctions? Early biochemical studies exploring the structural link between the cytoskeleton and cadherins in adherens junctions (AJs) concluded that it comprised direct interactions in the following order; cadherin tails bind β-catenin, β-catenin binds the VH1 domain of [...]

What is cadherin? The cadherin glycoproteins includes over 100 members divided into 6 subfamilies; type I classical cadherins , type II atypical cadherins, desmosomal cadherins, flamingo cadherins, proto-cadherins and several ungrouped members. Cadherins can be identified through common motifs in their extracellular domains termed [...]

What is tensin? Tensin is a cytoskeleton scaffolding protein that was named for its ability to form a bridge that maintains tension between the actin filaments and cell-matrix adhesion sites (reviewed in [1]). A recent review of the molecular physiology of tensins, however, reveals [...]

What is Vinculin? Vinculin is a protein that couples, transmits, transduces, and regulates mechanical force between the cytoskeleton and adhesion receptors (reviewed in [1]). Vinculin frequently links adhesion receptors (e.g. integrins) to the contractile actin-myosin cytoskeleton by binding either talin through its amino-terminal globular [...]

What is Zyxin? Zyxin is enriched along actin filaments, stress fiber bundles, and at cell-cell or cell-matrix adhesion sites [1][2]. Zyxin is specifically found in more mature adhesions [3] and its absence in early adhesions is commonly used to distinguish the ‘age’ of an [...]

How does integrin clustering affect integrin signaling? Localization of Integrin The concentration of β subunits is generally high while that of α subunit is the factor limiting the amount of heterodimers that localize on the membrane [1]. Liganded integrins diffuse along the membrane and [...]

What is the role of the cytoskeleton in the regulation of cell-cell adhesions? Given the function and stability of clustered cell-cell adhesions is tightly coupled to the formation and function of the actin cytoskeleton, it is not surprising that many of the components that [...]

What are cell-matrix adhesions? The extracellular matrix and the basal lamina Cell-matrix adhesion is the interaction of a cell with the extracellular matrix, mediated by multi-protein adhesion structures such as focal adhesions, fibrillar adhesions and podosomes. The ECM is a network of extracellular molecules [...]