Mechanotransduction: a new paradigm for cadherin junction biology (2012-2014)

Cadherin adhesion receptors mediate cell-cell adhesion in the tissues of the body. Essentially, they support tissue cohesion by resisting forces tending to disrupt cell-cell integrity. As such, cadherins have often been principally thought to passively resist force. Current evidence indicates that this is not so. My group recently showed that Myosin motors, which generate contractile force on junctions, positively support junction integrity. We propose that generating and sensing junctional force is essential for epithelial homeostasis. The current proposal aims to understand how mechanical force is sensed at junctions, and the signaling pathways that control the cellular response to force