Quantum jumps of conductance during formation of membrane channels at cell–cell junction

Nature ◽  
1978 ◽  
Vol 274 (5667) ◽  
pp. 133-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. R. Loewenstein ◽  
Y. Kanno ◽  
S. J. Socolar
2021 ◽  
Vol 134 (21) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia G. Vasquez ◽  
Eva L. de la Serna ◽  
Alexander R. Dunn

ABSTRACT Polarized epithelia define a topological inside and outside, and hence constitute a key evolutionary innovation that enabled the construction of complex multicellular animal life. Over time, this basic function has been elaborated upon to yield the complex architectures of many of the organs that make up the human body. The two processes necessary to yield a polarized epithelium, namely regulated adhesion between cells and the definition of the apicobasal (top–bottom) axis, have likewise undergone extensive evolutionary elaboration, resulting in multiple sophisticated protein complexes that contribute to both functions. Understanding how these components function in combination to yield the basic architecture of a polarized cell–cell junction remains a major challenge. In this Review, we introduce the main components of apicobasal polarity and cell–cell adhesion complexes, and outline what is known about their regulation and assembly in epithelia. In addition, we highlight studies that investigate the interdependence between these two networks. We conclude with an overview of strategies to address the largest and arguably most fundamental unresolved question in the field, namely how a polarized junction arises as the sum of its molecular parts.


Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 155
Author(s):  
Vanda Gaonac’h-Lovejoy ◽  
Cécile Boscher ◽  
Chantal Delisle ◽  
Jean-Philippe Gratton

Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) is an important proangiogenic factor also involved in the maintenance of endothelial-barrier integrity. The small GTPase Rap1 is involved in the regulation of adherens junctions through VE-cadherin-mediated adhesion, and in endothelial permeability. While many studies established that Rap1 activation is critical for endothelial cell–cell adhesions, its roles in the antipermeability effects of Ang-1 are ill-defined. Thus, we determined the contribution of Rap1 to Ang-1-stimulated angiogenic effects on endothelial cells (ECs). We found that Rap1 is activated following Ang-1 stimulation and is required for the antipermeability effects of Ang-1 on EC monolayers. Our results also revealed that Rap1 is necessary for EC sprouting stimulated by Ang-1 but had no significant effect on Ang-1-induced EC migration and adhesion. In contrast, downregulation of VE-cadherin markedly increased the adhesiveness of ECs to the substratum, which resulted in inhibition of Ang-1-stimulated migration. These results revealed that Rap1 is central to the effects of Ang-1 at intercellular junctions of ECs, whereas VE-cadherin is also involved in the adhesion of ECs to the extracellular matrix.


2010 ◽  
Vol 299 (3) ◽  
pp. C621-C629 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benoît Melchior ◽  
John A. Frangos

Atheroprone regions of the arterial circulation are characterized by time-varying, reversing, and oscillatory wall shear stress. Several in vivo and in vitro studies have demonstrated that flow reversal (retrograde flow) is atherogenic and proinflammatory. The molecular and structural basis for the sensitivity of the endothelium to flow direction, however, has yet to be determined. It has been hypothesized that the ability to sense flow direction is dependent on the direction of inclination of the interendothelial junction. Immunostaining of the mouse aorta revealed an inclination of the cell-cell junction by 13° in direction of flow in the descending aorta where flow is unidirectional. In contrast, polygonal cells of the inner curvature where flow is disturbed did not have any preferential inclination. Using a membrane specific dye, the angle of inclination of the junction was dynamically monitored using live cell confocal microscopy in confluent human endothelial cell monolayers. Upon application of shear the junctions began inclining within minutes to a final angle of 10° in direction of flow. Retrograde flow led to a reversal of junctional inclination. Flow-induced junctional inclination was shown to be independent of the cytoskeleton or glycocalyx. Additionally, within seconds, retrograde flow led to significantly higher intracellular calcium responses than orthograde flow. Together, these results show for the first time that the endothelial intercellular junction inclination is dynamically responsive to flow direction and confers the ability to endothelial cells to rapidly sense and adapt to flow direction.


2005 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 514-520 ◽  
Author(s):  
C AKIYAMA ◽  
N SHINOZAKINARIKAWA ◽  
T KITAZAWA ◽  
T HAMAKUBO ◽  
T KODAMA ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesús Gómez-Escudero ◽  
Cristina Clemente ◽  
Diego García-Weber ◽  
Rebeca Acín-Pérez ◽  
Jaime Millán ◽  
...  

Abstract Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones, occurs in pathophysiological contexts such as wound healing, cancer, and chronic inflammatory disease. During sprouting angiogenesis, endothelial tip and stalk cells coordinately remodel their cell-cell junctions to allow collective migration and extension of the sprout while maintaining barrier integrity. All these processes require energy, and the predominant ATP generation route in endothelial cells is glycolysis. However, it remains unclear how ATP reaches the plasma membrane and intercellular junctions. In this study, we demonstrate that the glycolytic enzyme pyruvate kinase 2 (PKM2) is required for sprouting angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo through the regulation of endothelial cell-junction dynamics and collective migration. We show that PKM2-silencing decreases ATP required for proper VE-cadherin internalization/traffic at endothelial cell-cell junctions. Our study provides fresh insight into the role of ATP subcellular compartmentalization in endothelial cells during angiogenesis. Since manipulation of EC glycolysis constitutes a potential therapeutic intervention route, particularly in tumors and chronic inflammatory disease, these findings may help to refine the targeting of endothelial glycolytic activity in disease.


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