Julien Brevier et al 2008 Phys. Biol. 5 016005 doi:10.1088/1478-3975/5/1/016005
The asymmetric self-assembly mechanism of adherens junctions: a cellular push–pull unit
Julien Brevier1, David Montero2, Tatyana Svitkina3 and Daniel Riveline1,4
Show affiliationsTo form adherens junctions (AJ), cells first establish contact by sending out lamellipodia onto neighboring cells. We investigated the role of contacting cells in AJ assembly by studying an asymmetric AJ motif: finger-like AJ extending across the cell–cell interface. Using a cytoskeleton replica and immunofluorescence, we observed that actin bundles embedded in the lamellipodia are co-localized with stress fibers in the neighboring cell at the AJ. This suggests that donor lamellipodia present actin fingers, which are stabilized by acceptor lamellae via acto-myosin contractility. Indeed, we show that changes in actin network geometry promoted by Rac overexpression lead to corresponding changes in AJ morphology. Moreover, contractility inhibition and enhancement (via drugs or local traction) lead respectively to the disappearance and further growth of AJ fingers. Thus, we propose that receiving lamellae exert a local pull on AJ, promoting further polymerization of the donor actin bundles. In spite of different compositions, AJ and focal contacts both act as cellular mechanosensors.
- PACS
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87.16.Qp Pseudopods, lamellipods, cilia, and flagella
87.16.Ka Filaments, microtubules, their networks, and supramolecular assemblies
87.15.M- Spectra of biomolecules
- Subjects
- Dates
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Issue 1 (March 2008)
Received 18 September 2008, accepted for publication 28 January 2008
Published 31 March 2008
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The asymmetric self-assembly mechanism of adherens junctions: a cellular push–pull unit
Julien Brevier et al 2008 Phys. Biol. 5 016005
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