PersPective
186BioArchitecture volume 1 issue 4 Such junctional plasticity depends on the orchestrated dynamics of the plasma membrane with its underlying F-actin cytoskeleton, however the interplay between these cellular structures remains poorly understood. Recent studies highlighted the spectrin-adducin-based membrane skeleton as an emerging regulator of AJ and TJ integrity and remodeling. Here we discuss new evidences implicating adducin, spectrin and other membrane skeleton proteins in stabilization of epithelial junctions and regulation of junctional dynamics. Based on the known ability of the membrane skeleton to link cortical actin filaments to the plasma membrane, we hypothesize that the spectrin-adducin network serves as a critical signal and force transducer from the actomyosin cytoskeleton to junctions during remodeling of AJs and TJs.
IntroductionIntegrity and barrier properties of epithelial layers depend on the assembly of adhesive contacts between adjacent epithelial cells. These adhesive contacts are composed of multiprotein complexes known as intercellular junctions. In simple polarized epithelia, several junctional complexes span the lateral plasma membrane to interact with opposing complementary
Spectrin-adducin membrane skeletonA missing link between epithelial junctions and the actin cytoskeletion? Nayden G. Naydenov and Andrei I. Ivanov* Department of Medicine; University of Rochester; Rochester, NY USA junctions in the intercellular space and associate with various cytoskeletal, signaling and trafficking components at the cytosolic face of the membrane.1,2 Among these complexes the most apically-located tight junctions (TJs) and subjacent adherens junctions (AJs) play key roles in regulating epithelial cell adhesion, polarity and differentiation. [2][3][4][5] TJs and AJs are composed of several types of integral membrane and cytosolic scaffolding proteins. Major transmembrane components of TJs mediating intercellular adhesions include the claudin protein family, occludin and junctional adhesion molecule A.2,3,5 'Zonula occludens' (ZO) proteins are the most abundant molecular constituents of the cytosolic plaque of TJs. 2,3,5,6 Adhesive properties of epithelial AJs are determined by E-cadherin and nectins, which are clustered and stabilized at the plasma membrane via interactions with cytosolic scaffolds such as α, β and p120 catenins. 2,4,7 Once considered as static, glue-like structures, TJs and AJs are now known to be very dynamic. Such dynamics includes a continuous remodeling (disassembly and reassembly) of junctional complexes in fully-differentiated epithelial layers, as well as large-scale TJ/AJ rearrangements that occur during normal epithelial morphogenesis and disruption of mucosal barriers in many diseases. [8][9][10][11][12] Two major mechanisms have been implicated in regulation of junctional dynamics; one is reorganizations of the perijunctional F-actin cytoskeleton and the other is remodeling of the plasma membrane. [8][9][10][11][12][13] The interplay between these mechani...