The study by Northwestern Medicine reveals mechanisms behind cellular adhesion and repair, crucial for maintaining epithelial tissues. Epithelial cells, predominant in organs and skin, utilize adhesive junctions for structural integrity and repair following injuries. The research focuses on alpha-catenin, which strengthens cell adhesion by responding to cellular forces. Interestingly, the study highlights that polyploid cells, often resulting from division errors, have unique properties beneficial for tissue repair. Overall, these insights pave the way for future therapeutic advancements aimed at enhancing cellular repair capabilities.
Adhesive junctions have to be strong enough for cells to cohere, but flexible enough to let cells round up and duplicate themselves while also attached.
These 'polyploid mistakes' are not all bad, since polyploid cells appear to have special properties that favor their role in cell migration and barrier repair.
Gottardi's team studied a single protein within these intracellular adhesive junctions, called alpha-catenin, which links cadherins and the cell's cytoskeleton.
The findings could inform the development of new therapeutics that boost cellular repair after tissue injury.
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