Cell Adhesion Flashcards
Adhesion of cells to each other and their extracellular matrix provides many of the cues neccessary for controlling:
- Cell migration
- Cell shape
- Survival
- Proliferation
- Differentiation
These events regulate an organism’s normal development, maintenance, and recovery from injury and infection.
Defects in the pathways associated with cell adhesion provide the basis for:
- Cell transformation
- Cancer cell metastasis
- Developmental defects
- Cardiovascular disease
Protein complexes forming at specific sites of cell membranes (typically epithelium)
cellular junctions
cellular junctions organize contacts of cells with one another through:
- Adhesion
- Definition of cellular domains
- Control of permeability of epithelium
- Intracellular signaling
- Intercellular communication / signal transmission
Cellular junctions organize contact between cells and extracellular matrix:
- Anchoring
- Intracellular signaling
Typical components (cellular junctions)
- Transmembrane adhesive protein
- Cytoplasmic adapter (anchor) protein
- Cytoskeletal filament
Arrangement (cellular junctions)
- Macula: patch-like junction of limited extent
- Zonula: junction which encircles the entire cell
Junctional combinations
- Junctional complex (terminal bar): cuboidal or columnar epithelium
- Intercalated disc: cardiac muscle
Typical three-component arrangement
Types of junctions
- Gap (Nexus) junction (communicating junction)
- Tight junction (occluding junction, zonula occludens)
- Adherens junctions
- Cells attaching to other cells
- Adherens junction (or zonula adherens, intermediate junction)
- Desmosome (macula adherens)
- Cells attaching to / anchoring in the extracellular matrix
- Hemidesmosome
- Focal adhesion
- Cells attaching to other cells
Three (Four) functional classes of cell junctions in animal tissues
- Anchoring junctions
- Adherens Junctions
- Occluding Junctions
- Tight Junctions
- Channel-forming Junctions
- Gap Junctions
- Signal-relaying junctions
Summary figure of cell adhesion proteins
Gap/Nexus/Communicating junction
- Plaque-like junction
- Cell membranes of neighboring cells very close together; intercellular space only 2-3 nm
- Can be found in all basic tissue types
- Common in epithelial cells, smooth and cardiac muscle cells, neuronal cells, and osteocytes
Integral membrane protein
connexin
6 connexins form connexon (connexin hemichannel)
Connexon has central channel (diameter 2nm)
Connexons of one cell connect to connexons in adjacent cell to form hydrophilic channel
Tens to hundreds of aligned connexon pairs hexagonally packed in gap junction
Aqueous channel formed between cytoplasm of adjacent cells
Passage of small signaling molecules and ions possible
Connected cells are electrically coupled for coordinated responses to stimuli
Different members of connexin family result in differences in permeability
Connexin mutations are linked to:
- deafness
- cataracts
- Charcot-Marie-Tooth demyelinating disease
- oculodentaldigital dysplasia