scholarly journals Recent Advances and Prospects in the Research of Nascent Adhesions

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernd Henning Stumpf ◽  
Andreja Ambriović-Ristov ◽  
Aleksandra Radenovic ◽  
Ana-Sunčana Smith

Nascent adhesions are submicron transient structures promoting the early adhesion of cells to the extracellular matrix. Nascent adhesions typically consist of several tens of integrins, and serve as platforms for the recruitment and activation of proteins to build mature focal adhesions. They are also associated with early stage signaling and the mechanoresponse. Despite their crucial role in sampling the local extracellular matrix, very little is known about the mechanism of their formation. Consequently, there is a strong scientific activity focused on elucidating the physical and biochemical foundation of their development and function. Precisely the results of this effort will be summarized in this article.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delia Bucher ◽  
Markus Mukenhirn ◽  
Kem A. Sochacki ◽  
Veronika Saharuka ◽  
Christian Huck ◽  
...  

AbstractClathrin is a unique scaffold protein, which forms polyhedral lattices with flat and curved morphology. The function of curved clathrin-coated pits in forming endocytic structures is well studied. On the contrary, the role of large flat clathrin arrays, called clathrin-coated plaques, remains ambiguous. Previous studies suggested an involvement of plaques in cell adhesion. However, the molecular origin leading to their formation and their precise functions remain to be determined. Here, we study the origin and function of clathrin-coated plaques during cell migration. We revealed that plaque formation is intimately linked to extracellular matrix (ECM) modification by focal adhesions (FAs). We show that in migrating cells, FAs digest the ECM creating extracellular topographical cues that dictate the future location of clathrin-coated plaques. We identify Eps15 and Eps15R as key regulators for the formation of clathrin-coated plaques at locally remodelled ECM sites. Using a genetic silencing approach to abrogate plaque formation and 3D-micropatterns to spatially control the location of clathrin-coated plaques, we could directly correlate cell migration directionality with the formation of clathrin-coated plaques and their ability to recognize extracellular topographical cues. We here define the molecular mechanism regulating the functional interplay between FAs and plaques and propose that clathrin-coated plaques act as regulators of cell migration promoting contact guidance-mediated collective migration in a cell-to-cell contact independent manner.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reena Singh ◽  
Richard Tan ◽  
Clara Tran ◽  
Thomas Loudovaris ◽  
Helen E. Thomas ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Daniel W. Berman

Foundation myths are a crucial component of many Greek cities’ identities. But the mythic tradition also represents many cities and their spaces before they were cities at all. This study examines three of these ‘prefoundational’ narratives: stories of cities-before-cities that prepare, configure, or reconfigure, in a conceptual sense, the mythic ground for foundation. ‘Prefoundational’ myths vary in both form and function. Thebes, before it was Thebes, is represented as a trackless and unfortified backwater. Croton, like many Greek cities in south Italy, credited Heracles with a kind of ‘prefounding’, accomplished on his journey from the West back to central Greece. And the Athenian acropolis was the object of a quarrel between Athena and Poseidon, the results of which gave the city its name and permanently marked its topography. In each case, ‘prefoundational’ myth plays a crucial role in representing ideology, identity, and civic topography.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karin Legerstee ◽  
Tsion E. Abraham ◽  
Wiggert A. van Cappellen ◽  
Alex L. Nigg ◽  
Johan A. Slotman ◽  
...  

AbstractFocal adhesions (FAs) are flat elongated structures that mediate cell migration and link the cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix. Along the vertical axis FAs were shown to be composed of three layers. We used structured illumination microscopy to examine the longitudinal distribution of four hallmark FA proteins, which we also used as markers for these layers. At the FA ends pointing towards the adherent membrane edge (heads), bottom layer protein paxillin protruded, while at the opposite ends (tails) intermediate layer protein vinculin and top layer proteins zyxin and VASP extended further. At the tail tips, only intermediate layer protein vinculin protruded. Importantly, head and tail compositions were altered during HGF-induced scattering with paxillin heads being shorter and zyxin tails longer. Additionally, FAs at protruding or retracting membrane edges had longer paxillin heads than FAs at static edges. These data suggest that redistribution of FA-proteins with respect to each other along FAs is involved in cell movement.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 148
Author(s):  
Marius Bredon ◽  
Elisabeth Depuydt ◽  
Lucas Brisson ◽  
Laurent Moulin ◽  
Ciriac Charles ◽  
...  

The crucial role of microbes in the evolution, development, health, and ecological interactions of multicellular organisms is now widely recognized in the holobiont concept. However, the structure and stability of microbiota are highly dependent on abiotic and biotic factors, especially in the gut, which can be colonized by transient bacteria depending on the host’s diet. We studied these impacts by manipulating the digestive microbiota of the detritivore Armadillidium vulgare and analyzing the consequences on its structure and function. Hosts were exposed to initial starvation and then were fed diets that varied the different components of lignocellulose. A total of 72 digestive microbiota were analyzed according to the type of the diet (standard or enriched in cellulose, lignin, or hemicellulose) and the period following dysbiosis. The results showed that microbiota from the hepatopancreas were very stable and resilient, while the most diverse and labile over time were found in the hindgut. Dysbiosis and selective diets may have affected the host fitness by altering the structure of the microbiota and its predicted functions. Overall, these modifications can therefore have effects not only on the holobiont, but also on the “eco-holobiont” conceptualization of macroorganisms.


2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fengxuan Han ◽  
Caihong Zhu ◽  
Qianping Guo ◽  
Huilin Yang ◽  
Bin Li

The elasticity of the extracellular matrix has been increasingly recognized as a dominating factor of cell fate and activities. This review provides an overview of the general principles and recent advances in the field of matrix elasticity-dependent regulation of a variety of cellular activities and functions, the underlying biomechanical and molecular mechanisms, as well as the pathophysiological implications.


Behaviour ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 119 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 1-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyra Garnetzke-Stollmann ◽  
Dierk Franck

AbstractSpectacled parrotlets live in a complex system of individual relationships throughout their lives. The adults form exclusive pair bonds, addressing all friendly and sexual behaviour patterns to each other. Pair mates cooperate in agonistic situations. As long as they stay close together they hold the same rank-order position. In mate-choice experiments females (not males) significantly preferred a mate which formerly held a high social position. There are also non-exclusive pair bonds, which are far less stable than exclusive ones. Only exclusive pairs have a good chance to occupy a breeding cavity. All group members are synchronized in many of their activities, such as foraging, preening or resting. They are keenly interested in unusual activities of other group members. Social learning, including copying sexual techniques, seems to be essential. After fledging the parents keep their offspring at a distance from a very early stage. Instead of a close parent-offspring relationship the fledglings form sibling groups with their nest mates. Over a period of months siblings remain the main interaction partners for all friendly and playful activities. They also support one another in agonistic situations. In the first months of life even courtship feeding and sexual behaviour are addressed predominantly to siblings. Thus a pair-like relationship is established between siblings, anticipating the permanent pair bond of adults. Single fledglings, deprived of the experience of a sibling group, remained poorly integrated into the group. They developed alternative socialisation tactics, namely (1) joining a host group of unrelated siblings, (2) renewing a friendly partnership with the parents, (3) helping to protect and feed younger siblings or even unrelated fledglings and (4) seeking early partnership with unrelated group members. Out of 10 single fledglings only the one that was accepted by a host sibling group immediately after fledging became well integrated into the whole group and reproduced well. It is argued that sibling groups offer good opportunities for learning partnership and function as a safe basis for exploring the social environment. It is tentatively proposed that single fledglings have a decreased probability of reproductive success.


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