Neighborly relations: cadherins and mechanotransduction.
Cell-cell adhesions are sites where cells experience and resist tugging forces. It has long been postulated, but not directly tested, that cadherin adhesion molecules may serve in mechanotransduction at cell-cell contacts. In this issue, Le Duc et al. (2010. J. Cell Biol. doi: 10.1083/jcb.201001149) provide direct evidence that E-cadherin participates in a mechanosensing pathway that regulates the actomyosin cytoskeleton to modulate cell stiffness in response to pulling force.
Smutny
Michael
M
Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Division of Molecular Cell Biology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 4072.
Yap
Alpha S
AS
D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D015820:Cadherins / Q000502:physiology*; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000502:physiology; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular
D015820:Cadherins