title: Intercellular junction assembly, dynamics, and homeostasis.
abstract: Intercellular anchoring junctions are highly specialized regions of the plasma membrane where members of the cadherin family of transmembrane adhesion molecules on opposing cells interact through their extracellular domains, and through their cytoplasmic domains serve as a platform for organizing cytoskeletal anchors and remodelers. Here we focus on assembly of so-called "anchoring" or "adhering" junctions-adherens junctions (AJs) and desmosomes (DSMs), which associate with actin and intermediate filaments, respectively. We will examine how the assembly and function of AJs and DSMs are intimately connected during embryogenesis and in adult cells and tissues, and in some cases even form specialized "mixed" junctions. We will explore signaling and trafficking machineries that drive assembly and remodeling and how these mechanisms are co-opted in human disease.
authors.affiliation: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, R.H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, 303 E. Chicago Ave. Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA. kgreen@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: Kathleen J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Spiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Getsios
authors.forename: Sergey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Troyanovsky
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Godsel
mesh_terms: D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D003896:Desmosomes / Q000502:physiology; D004705:Endocytosis; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000502:physiology*; D007382:Intermediate Filaments / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins