Introduction
Malgorzata Lekka in Cellular Analysis by Atomic Force Microscopy, 2017
Cell adhesion plays a crucial role in many events governing the maintenance of various tissue structures and integrity, where the interactions between cells themselves and also between cells and their environment are formed. Although these adhesive interactions seem to be stable, they should be considered as dynamic ones, since in many cases the binding/unbinding events are intimately involved both in changes of cell arrangements responsible for various tissue structures and in proper physiological functioning of cells [32]. The defensive role of the immune system is an example of the process where the interactions between single molecules are essential for organisms. Malfunctioning of the immune system can result in severe disorders, such as autoimmune diseases, hypersensitivities, or immune deficiency. Another example of the cell adhesion is a cell migration, which is dependent on the continuous formation and dissociation of specific bonds between the adhesion molecules and the environment [33, 34]. All these biological functions of proteins depend on their direct physical interactions (i.e., contacts) with other molecules.
Inflammation and immunology
C. Simon Herrington in Muir's Textbook of Pathology, 2020
Obviously, the response of endothelial cells on activation adjacent to tissue injury is critical in signalling to leukocytes in the circulation. Expression of cell adhesion molecules is controlled in several different ways in these cell types. Molecules such as P-selectin are stored preformed in endothelial cells in Weibel–Palade bodies. On stimulation of the endothelial cells by histamine or platelet-activating factor (PAF), the P-selectin within these cytoplasmic storage granules is rapidly redistributed to the cell surface within minutes. Thus the expression of P-selectin on the endothelium is an important early mechanism for attracting leukocytes to a site of inflammation. Other adhesion molecules, including E-selectin, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1, are expressed by new protein synthesis. On stimulation of the endothelial cells by proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF or interleukin 1 (IL-1) there is transcriptional activation of the genes encoding these proteins. This level of control of adhesion molecules requires between 4 and 6 hours of stimulation but can be sustained for hours or days.
Prostate Cancer
Anthony R. Mundy, John M. Fitzpatrick, David E. Neal, Nicholas J. R. George in The Scientific Basis of Urology, 2010
Cell adhesion is of fundamental importance in establishing and maintaining tissue form and function. Several adhesion molecules, including cadherins, integrins, selectins, and members of the immunoglobulin superfamily, are involved in the mechanisms by which a cell maintains contact with other cells and interacts with the extracellular matrix (133, 134). Fibronectin, collagen, laminin, and vitronectin are major components of this complex extracellular matrix that interact with their cognate receptors, most of which are integrins. Integrins function as heterodimeric membrane glycoproteins, the combination of α and β subunits determining the ligand specificity. Differential expression of members of the large integrin family allows the cell to modulate its interaction with other cells and the extracellular matrix. Integrins are important components of cellular signal transduction, mediating cell-matrix interactions, while cadherins principally mediate intercellular interactions.
Diagnostic and prognostic role of protein and ultrastructural alterations at cell–extracellular matrix junctions in neoplastic progression of human oral malignancy
Published in Ultrastructural Pathology, 2022
Harsh Nitin Dongre, Snehal Mahadik, Chetan Ahire, Pallavi Rane, Shilpi Sharma, Fatima Lukmani, Asawari Patil, Devendra Chaukar, Sudeep Gupta, Sharada Suhas Sawant
Cell adhesion is of crucial importance in the maintenance of tissue integrity, and hence, any alterations may influence the processes of neoplastic transformation and progression. Cell adhesion is mediated mainly by three types of adhesion junctions: tight junctions, communicating junctions, and anchoring junctions.8 One of the type of anchoring junctions is hemidesmosomes (HDs), which are multiprotein complexes, providing stable adhesion of the basal cells to the underlying basement membrane (BM) (referred to as basal lamina (BL) in ultrastructure). It is a dynamic structure that undergoes qualitative and quantitative changes during the process of malignant transformation of epithelial cells. It plays a vital role in tissue development, construction, homeostasis, and invasion of malignant cells.9,10
Vasculogenic mimicry structures in melanoma support the recruitment of monocytes
Published in OncoImmunology, 2022
Lih Y. Tan, Michaelia P. Cockshell, Eli Moore, Kay K. Myo Min, Michael Ortiz, M. Zahied Johan, Brenton Ebert, Andrew Ruszkiewicz, Michael P. Brown, Lisa M. Ebert, Claudine S. Bonder
The aforementioned results suggest that VM-competent melanoma cells preferentially bind monocytes and express adhesion molecules and chemokines known to capture these pro-inflammatory leukocytes. Hence, we undertook scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of C32 cells to view the finger-like cilia projections that are also observed on ECs and are actively involved in leukocyte capture.53Figure 3F (i) shows a representative SEM image of a monolayer of C32 melanoma cells on top of which a monocyte has bound. Notably, the dehydration step during sample preparation for SEM caused some contraction of cells leaving gaps at the cell-cell junction and had not been observed by light microscopy during the microfluidic assay. A higher magnification image (Figure 3F (ii)) illustrates that like ECs, C32 cells exhibit a surface covered in cilia. These finger-like projections are known to stretch and attach themselves to leukocytes under flow conditions (Figure 3F (iii)) further supporting their involvement in the process of cell-cell adhesion. Taken together, these results suggest that VM-competent melanoma cells can mimic a key function of ECs; namely, the active capture of circulating leukocyte subsets under physiologically relevant flow conditions.
Colorectal Cancer Cells Adhere to Traumatized Peritoneal Tissue in Clusters, An Experimental Study
Published in Journal of Investigative Surgery, 2018
Peter Falk, Andreas Jonsson, Torbjörn Swartling, Marie-Lois Ivarsson
We mimicked surgical trauma by damaging the mesothelial layer and the human peritoneal surface in a fashion that was easily repeated. We found that when introduced to our experimental model, cancer cells adhered to the edges of the traumatized areas. We do not understand the nature of the factors that caused the cancer cells to adhere in this manner, and this was not investigated in the present study, but it is likely that inflammatory processes trigger cell adhesion. Okegewa described the desquamation of cells from the underlying lamina propria allowing malignant cells to degrade the extracellular matrix to a more motile and invasive phenotype that enables invasion and metastasis [21]. Clinically, this is seen as local recurrence and as port site metastases following laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer [22].
Related Knowledge Centers
- Bacteria
- Cell Adhesion Molecule
- Cell Junction
- Cell Migration
- Integrin
- Multicellular Organism
- Signal Transduction
- Virus
- Arthritis
- Extracellular Matrix