Collectively, these studies suggest a physical and functional role for Merlin in regulating cell:cell adhesion, transmembrane signalling receptors, Rho-GTPase signalling, and in modulating actin cytoskeleton dynamics.
The Rap family of GTPases, and thus their associated regulators, are primarily involved in regulating cell-cell junction formation, cell adhesion to extracellular matrix and polarity [1].
Cichoń, M.A. et al. The receptor tyrosine kinase Axl regulates cell-cell adhesion and stemness in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.
Folliculin regulates cell-cell adhesion, AMPK, and mTORC1 in a cell-type-specific manner in lung-derived cells.
Schepis, A., Sepich, D. & Nelson, W. J. alphaE-catenin regulates cell-cell adhesion and membrane blebbing during zebrafish epiboly.
In particular, the infiltrating cells express higher levels of genes involved in regulating cell-cell adhesion, cell size and the inhibition of programmed cell death.
Windus, L. C., Claxton, C., Allen, C. L., Key, B. & St John, J. A. Motile membrane protrusions regulate cell-cell adhesion and migration of olfactory ensheathing glia.
We hypothesized that mechanical stimuli in the form of microenvironmental stiffness, cytoskeletal architecture, or cyclic stretch regulate cell-cell junction formation and cytoskeletal remodeling during development and disease.
Scaffolds often fail to mimic essential functions of the physiologic extracellular matrix (ECM) that regulates cell-cell communication in tissue microenvironments.
Cx43 regulates cell-cell interactions in the nervous system.
One such example can be seen in the pathways regulating cell-cell junctions and their dissolution during EMT.
