Cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix is fundamental to tissue integrity and human health. Integrins are the main cellular adhesion receptors that through multifaceted roles as signalling molecules, mechanotransducers and key components of the cell migration machinery are implicated in…
Targeting β1-integrin inhibits vascular leakage in endotoxemia by Laura Hakanpaa et al.
Loss of endothelial integrity promotes capillary leakage in numerous diseases, including sepsis, but there are no effective therapies for preserving endothelial barrier function. Angiopoietin-2 (ANGPT2) is a context-dependent regulator of vascular leakage that signals via both endothelial TEK receptor tyrosine…
Integrin activity in neuronal connectivity by Johanna Lilja et al.
The formation of correct synaptic structures and neuronal connections is paramount for normal brain development and a functioning adult brain. The integrin family of cell adhesion receptors and their ligands play essential roles in the control of several processes regulating…
Lymphatic endothelium stimulates melanoma metastasis and invasion via MMP14-dependent Notch3 and β1-integrin activation by Pirita Pekkonen et al.
Lymphatic invasion and lymph node metastasis correlate with poor clinical outcome in melanoma. However, the mechanisms of lymphatic dissemination in distant metastasis remain incompletely understood. We show here that exposure of expansively growing human WM852 melanoma cells, but not singly…
Mitosis-Resistant Adhesions Provide Molecular Memory to Dividing Cells by Guillaume Jacquemet et al.
During mitosis, animal cells disassemble focal adhesions and round up while remaining attached to the substrata via actin cables and unknown adhesive structures. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Dix et al. (2018) describe integrin-positive adhesions, devoid of classical focal…
Using xCELLigence RTCA Instrument to Measure Cell Adhesion by Hellyeh Hamidi et al.
Cell adhesion to neighbouring cells and to the underlying extracellular matrix (ECM) is a fundamental requirement for the existence of multicellular organisms. As such, the formation, stability and dissociation of cell adhesions are subject to tight control in space and…
Loss of ADAM9 expression impairs β1 integrin endocytosis, focal adhesion formation and cancer cell migration by Kasper J Mygind et al.
The transmembrane protease ADAM9 is frequently upregulated in human cancers, and it promotes tumour progression in mice. In vitro, ADAM9 regulates cancer cell adhesion and migration by interacting with integrins. However, how ADAM9 modulates integrin functions is not known. We…
Cell-derived matrices for studying cell proliferation and directional migration in a complex 3D microenvironment by Riina Kaukonen et al.
2D surfaces offer simple analysis of cells in culture, yet these often yield different cell morphologies and responses from those observed in vivo. Considerable effort has therefore been expended on the generation of more tissue-like environments for the study of…
Epithelial vimentin plays a functional role in mammary gland development by Emilia Peuhu et al.
In the mammary gland, vimentin intermediate filaments are expressed in stromal cells and in basal epithelial cell populations, including gland-reconstituting mammary stem cells, with largely undefined functions. Here, we have studied how vimentin deficiency affects mouse mammary gland development. We…