title: Assembly and mechanosensory function of focal contacts.
abstract: Focal contacts, focal complexes and related extracellular matrix adhesions are used by cells to explore their environment. These sites act as mechanosensory 'devices', where internal contractile forces or externally applied force can regulate the assembly of the adhesion site and trigger adhesion-dependent signaling involving Rho-family small G-proteins and other signaling pathways. The molecular mechanisms underlying these processes are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cell Biology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel. benny.geiger@weizmann.ac.il
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Geiger
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bershadsky
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D022001:Focal Adhesions / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000080865:Formins; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008870:Microtubules / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C108962:DIAPH1 protein, human; D000080865:Formins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins