Biomaterial Database

Cadherin-actin interactions at adherens junctions. 2011

Shigenobu Yonemura

Electron Microscope Laboratory, Riken Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan. yonemura@cdb.riken.jp

The adherens junction (AJ) is a major cell-cell junction that mediates cell recognition, adhesion, morphogenesis, and tissue integrity. Although AJs transmit forces generated by actomyosin from one cell to another, AJs have long been considered as an area where signal transduction from cadherin ligation takes place through cell adhesion. Through the efforts to understand embryonic or cellular morphogenesis, dynamic interactions between the AJ and actin filaments have become crucial issues to be addressed since actin association is essential for AJ development, remodeling and function. Here, I provide an overview of cadherin-actin interaction from morphological aspects and of possible molecular mechanisms revealed by recent studies.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007365	Intercellular Junctions	Direct contact of a cell with a neighboring cell. Most such junctions are too small to be resolved by light microscopy, but they can be visualized by conventional or freeze-fracture electron microscopy, both of which show that the interacting CELL MEMBRANE and often the underlying CYTOPLASM and the intervening EXTRACELLULAR SPACE are highly specialized in these regions. (From Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2d ed, p792)	Cell Junctions,Cell Junction,Intercellular Junction,Junction, Cell,Junction, Intercellular,Junctions, Cell,Junctions, Intercellular
D009024	Morphogenesis	The development of anatomical structures to create the form of a single- or multi-cell organism. Morphogenesis provides form changes of a part, parts, or the whole organism.
D002448	Cell Adhesion	Adherence of cells to surfaces or to other cells.	Adhesion, Cell,Adhesions, Cell,Cell Adhesions
D002450	Cell Communication	Any of several ways in which living cells of an organism communicate with one another, whether by direct contact between cells or by means of chemical signals carried by neurotransmitter substances, hormones, and cyclic AMP.	Cell Interaction,Cell-to-Cell Interaction,Cell Communications,Cell Interactions,Cell to Cell Interaction,Cell-to-Cell Interactions,Communication, Cell,Communications, Cell,Interaction, Cell,Interaction, Cell-to-Cell,Interactions, Cell,Interactions, Cell-to-Cell
D003599	Cytoskeleton	The network of filaments, tubules, and interconnecting filamentous bridges which give shape, structure, and organization to the cytoplasm.	Cytoplasmic Filaments,Cytoskeletal Filaments,Microtrabecular Lattice,Cytoplasmic Filament,Cytoskeletal Filament,Cytoskeletons,Filament, Cytoplasmic,Filament, Cytoskeletal,Filaments, Cytoplasmic,Filaments, Cytoskeletal,Lattice, Microtrabecular,Lattices, Microtrabecular,Microtrabecular Lattices
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000199	Actins	Filamentous proteins that are the main constituent of the thin filaments of muscle fibers. The filaments (known also as filamentous or F-actin) can be dissociated into their globular subunits; each subunit is composed of a single polypeptide 375 amino acids long. This is known as globular or G-actin. In conjunction with MYOSINS, actin is responsible for the contraction and relaxation of muscle.	F-Actin,G-Actin,Actin,Isoactin,N-Actin,alpha-Actin,alpha-Isoactin,beta-Actin,gamma-Actin,F Actin,G Actin,N Actin,alpha Actin,alpha Isoactin,beta Actin,gamma Actin
D000205	Actomyosin	A protein complex of actin and MYOSINS occurring in muscle. It is the essential contractile substance of muscle.
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