title: Sticking together the Crumbs - an unexpected function for an old friend.
abstract: Cell polarity and cell-cell junctions have pivotal roles in organizing cells into tissues and in mediating cell-cell communication. The transmembrane protein Crumbs has a well-established role in the maintenance of epithelial polarity, and it can also regulate signalling via the Notch and Hippo pathways to influence tissue growth. The functions of Crumbs in epithelial polarity and Hippo-mediated growth depend on its short intracellular domain. Recent evidence now points to a conserved and fundamental role for the extracellular domain of Crumbs in mediating homophilic Crumbs-Crumbs interactions at cell-cell junctions.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research UK, London Research Institute, 44 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3LY, UK. barry.thompson@cancer.org.uk
authors.forename: Barry J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Franck
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pichaud
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Röper
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology; D016764:Cell Polarity / Q000502:physiology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins