Tissue Architecture Flashcards
What type of cytoskeletal filaments are responsible of protecting cells from mechanical stress?
Intermediate Filaments
What is the name of the “mesh-like” structure that strengthens the nuclear envelope?
Nuclear Lumina
What causes Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome? What does it affect?
Caused by a mutation in the collagen or the collagen synthesis genes.
It weakens connective tissues in the skin, organs, bones, and blood vessels.
What is the function of focal contacts? What is their role?
To link cells to the extracellular matrix of basal lamina.
Roles in migration, immune system function, wound healing, tissue architecture.
What are the 2 subtypes of Cadherin superfamily? Give examples of each and state their role
- Classic Cadherins: Type 1: E, N, R-cadherin
Type 2: VE cadherin
Both are linked to actin cytoskeleton; associated with adherens junctions - Atypical Cadherins: T, LI-cadherins: function as hemophiliac adhesion proteins with interaction with catenins or link to actin cytoskeleton.
Enumerate the cytoplasmic Intermediate Filaments:(3) and where they would be located
Keratin filaments: in epithelial cells
Vimentin filaments: in connective-tissue cells, muscle cells, and glial cells
Neurofilaments: in nerve cells
What is Progenia and what causes it?
Progenia is an accelerating aging disease.
It is caused by a mutation in the Nuclear Lamina.
On which tubulin is the “+” end located?
Beta-tubulin
What does the chemotherapeutic drug Taxol target/do?
it binds and stabilizes microtubules (therefore chromosome segregation is inhibited)
Action of Colchicine
Binds tubulin dimers and prevents their polymerization.
Action of Vinblastine
Binds tubulin dimers and prevents their polymerization.
What is the action of Phalloidin?
It binds and stabilizes filaments.
It also helps visualize actin filaments.
What are the functions of ECM(Extracellular Matrix)? (6)
- Anchoring and engulfing cells to define tissue boundaries.
- Determining the biomechanics properties
- Controlling cellular polarity, survival, proliferation, differentiation
- Inhibiting or facilitating cell migration.
- Binding to and acting as a reservoir of growth factors
- Serving either directly as a ligand for signaling receptors.
How is Collagen formed?
a C-terminal propertied initiates the triple helix formation in the rough ER. Procollagen in secreted in the extracellular place. Enzymes cleave propertied to form collagen.
Cadherins can serve as biomarkers for?________
invasive, metastatic tumors.
EMT(Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition).
In transitional bladder cancer there is a decrease in E-cadherins and an increase in N-cadherins.
Enumerate few functions of Ig CAMs
Immune cell interactions
expression vascular endothelial cells and bind to various integral molecules
Involved in recognition, binding, and adhesion processes of cells.
Which CAM family has low affinity to ligands and allow for leukocytes “rolling” during leukocytes adhesion cascade?
(they are calcium dependent glycoproteins)
Selectins. They also bind to extracellular carbohydrates and play important rollin host defense mechanism.
Which CAM family has higher affinity to leukocytes and allows for adhesion (causing them to stop) and transmigration to site of infection?
Integrins. (cell-cell interaction via BETA2 family).
in which type of cells are keratin filaments located?
Epithelial cells.
