Cell adhesion

Cell adhesion is the binding of cells to one another or to surrounding materials. It is mediated by specialized molecules and helps organize tissues and their interactions with the environment.

Cadherin: A family of calcium-dependent cell-surface proteins that mediate adhesion between cells. Cadherins form many of the direct, selective bonds that hold neighboring cells together.
Cell adhesion molecule: A cell-surface molecule that mediates binding between cells or between a cell and its surroundings. This is the broad molecular class that directly carries out cell adhesion.
Cell migration: The directed movement of cells through or across their surrounding environment. Cells repeatedly form and release adhesions to move across tissues or surfaces.
Mechanotransduction: The conversion of mechanical stimuli into biochemical signals within a cell. Adhesion complexes relay forces from the cell’s surroundings into signaling responses.
Cell-cell adhesion: Binding interactions that connect one cell directly to another. It distinguishes direct cellular contacts from attachment to extracellular materials.
Integrin: A family of cell-surface receptors that bind extracellular matrix proteins and connect them to the cytoskeleton. Integrins anchor cells to surrounding materials and transmit forces across the membrane.
Extracellular matrix: A network of proteins and carbohydrates outside cells that provides structural and biochemical support. It is the main material to which cells attach outside cell-cell contacts.
Leukocyte extravasation: The process by which white blood cells leave the bloodstream and enter tissues. Selectin-mediated rolling and integrin-mediated arrest make adhesion central to this process.
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition: A process in which epithelial cells acquire traits associated with more migratory mesenchymal cells. Changes in cell-cell adhesion are a defining feature of this cellular transition.
Cell-matrix adhesion: Binding interactions that connect a cell to the extracellular matrix. It is the matrix-directed counterpart to adhesion between neighboring cells.

Linked from 12 pages