Cell adhesion strength from cortical tension – an integration of concepts

Abstract

Morphogenetic mechanisms such as cell movement or tissue separation depend on cell attachment and detachment processes, which involve adhesion receptors as well as the cortical cytoskeleton. The interplay between the two components is of stunning complexity. Most strikingly, the binding energy of adhesion molecules is usually too small for substantial cell-cell attachment, pointing to a main deficit in our present understanding of adhesion. In this Opinion article, I integrate recent findings and conceptual advances in the field into a coherent framework for cell adhesion. I argue that active cortical tension is best viewed as an integral part of adhesion, and propose on this basis a non-arbitrary measure of adhesion strength -the tissue surface tension of cell aggregates. This concept of adhesion integrates heterogeneous molecular inputs into a single mechanical property and simplifies the analysis of attachment-detachment processes. It draws attention to the enormous variation of adhesion strengths among tissues, whose origin and function is little understood.

The biomechanical properties of an epithelial tissue determine the location of its vasculature

“…However, we are aware that Steinberg's hypothesis was modified soon after its release44, since the binding energy of adhesion molecules is not sufficient to account for cell sorting events4546474849. Recent experimental and theoretical studies have supported the hypothesis that differential cell cortex tension along with differential cell adhesion drive the segregation of cell populations28505152. In different experimental set-ups, an elevated cortical actomyosin contraction has been shown to increase the cell cortex tension535455.…”

A cold plasma jet accelerates wound healing in a murine model of full‐thickness skin wounds

“…Also, integrin proteins form temporary adhesion and signal complexes together with the actin cytoskeleton which affect the organization of the cytoskeleton, cell morphology, gene expression and migration . The cytoskeleton as a highly dynamic network functions as structure and attachment point as well as a basis for transport processes, and cell movement . As oxidative stress modulates cytoskeleton organization and is critical to adhesiveness, plasma treatment supposedly allows interference with anchorage‐dependent signalling.…”

Patterned cortical tension mediated by N-cadherin controls cell geometric order in the Drosophila eye

“…Actomyosin contractility acts antagonistically by reducing cell contact size (Lecuit and Lenne, 2007; Winklbauer, 2015). There is numerous evidence in vivo that shows actomyosin-generated tension regulates cell shape (Rauzi et al, 2008; Martin et al, 2009).…”