title: Cross talk between focal adhesion kinase and cadherins: role in regulating endothelial barrier function.
abstract: A layer of endothelial cells attached to their underlying matrices by complex transmembrane structures termed focal adhesion (FA) proteins maintains the barrier property of microvascular endothelium. FAs sense the physical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and organize the cytoskeleton accordingly. The close association of adherens junction (AJ) protein, cadherin, with the cytoskeleton is known to be essential in coordinating the appropriate mechanical properties to cell-cell contacts. Recently, it has become clear that a crosstalk exists between focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and cadherin that regulates signaling at intercellular endothelial junctions. This review discusses recent advances in our understanding of the dynamic regulation of the molecular connections between FAK and the cadherin complex and cadherin-catenin-actin interaction-dependent changes as well as the role of small GTPases in endothelial barrier regulation. This review also discusses how a signaling network regulates a range of cellular processes important for barrier function and diseases.
authors.affiliation: Lung Biology Laboratory, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA. skq1@columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Sadiqa K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Quadri
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D051177:Catenins / Q000378:metabolism; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000201:enzymology*; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D022001:Focal Adhesions / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D051177:Catenins; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins