Biomaterial Database

New insights into the dynamics of cell adhesions. 2010

Patricia Costa, and Maddy Parsons

Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, New Hunts House, Guys Campus, London, United Kingdom.

Adhesion to the extracellular matrix (ECM) and to adjacent cells is a fundamental requirement for survival, differentiation, and migration of numerous cell types during both embryonic development and adult homeostasis. Different types of adhesion structures have been classified within different cell types or tissue environments. Much is now known regarding the complexity of protein composition of these critical points of cell contact with the extracellular environment. It has become clear that adhesions are highly ordered, dynamic structures under tight spatial control at the subcellular level to enable localized responses to extracellular cues. However, it is only in the last decade that the relative dynamics of these adhesion proteins have been closely studied. Here, we provide an overview of the recent data arising from such studies of cell-matrix and cell-cell contact and an overview of the imaging strategies that have been developed and implemented to study the intricacies and hierarchy of protein turnover within adhesions.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009068	Movement	The act, process, or result of passing from one place or position to another. It differs from LOCOMOTION in that locomotion is restricted to the passing of the whole body from one place to another, while movement encompasses both locomotion but also a change of the position of the whole body or any of its parts. Movement may be used with reference to humans, vertebrate and invertebrate animals, and microorganisms. Differentiate also from MOTOR ACTIVITY, movement associated with behavior.	Movements
D002448	Cell Adhesion	Adherence of cells to surfaces or to other cells.	Adhesion, Cell,Adhesions, Cell,Cell Adhesions
D002465	Cell Movement	The movement of cells from one location to another. Distinguish from CYTOKINESIS which is the process of dividing the CYTOPLASM of a cell.	Cell Migration,Locomotion, Cell,Migration, Cell,Motility, Cell,Movement, Cell,Cell Locomotion,Cell Motility,Cell Movements,Movements, Cell
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D015815	Cell Adhesion Molecules	Surface ligands, usually glycoproteins, that mediate cell-to-cell adhesion. Their functions include the assembly and interconnection of various vertebrate systems, as well as maintenance of tissue integration, wound healing, morphogenic movements, cellular migrations, and metastasis.	Cell Adhesion Molecule,Intercellular Adhesion Molecule,Intercellular Adhesion Molecules,Leukocyte Adhesion Molecule,Leukocyte Adhesion Molecules,Saccharide-Mediated Cell Adhesion Molecules,Saccharide Mediated Cell Adhesion Molecules,Adhesion Molecule, Cell,Adhesion Molecule, Intercellular,Adhesion Molecule, Leukocyte,Adhesion Molecules, Cell,Adhesion Molecules, Intercellular,Adhesion Molecules, Leukocyte,Molecule, Cell Adhesion,Molecule, Intercellular Adhesion,Molecule, Leukocyte Adhesion,Molecules, Cell Adhesion,Molecules, Intercellular Adhesion,Molecules, Leukocyte Adhesion