Quantifying Forces Mediated by Integral Tight Junction Proteins in Cell–Cell Adhesion

Cellular adhesion and barriers formed by intercellular adhesion proteins [tight junctions (occludin and claudins) and adherens junction (E-cadherin)] are important in maintaining tissue homeostasis. However, disruption of these junction proteins is associated with diseases in the organ systems such...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Experimental mechanics 2009-02, Vol.49 (1), p.3-9
Main Authors: Vedula, S. R. K., Lim, T. S., Kausalya, P. J., Lane, E. B., Rajagopal, G., Hunziker, W., Lim, C. T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering
Characterization and Evaluation of Materials
Control
Dynamical Systems
Engineering
Lasers
Optical Devices
Optics
Photonics
Solid Mechanics
Vibration
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Summary:Cellular adhesion and barriers formed by intercellular adhesion proteins [tight junctions (occludin and claudins) and adherens junction (E-cadherin)] are important in maintaining tissue homeostasis. However, disruption of these junction proteins is associated with diseases in the organ systems such as multiple sclerosis, diarrhea, asthma, and gastro-intestinal tract carcinomas among others. In this paper, the separation force needed to separate two cells expressing some of these proteins was measured using the dual micropipette assay. Results show that L-fibroblasts transfected with claudin-1 and claudin-2 exhibit higher separation force (~2.8 nN and 2.3 nN, respectively) as compared to control cells or cells transfected with occludin (~1 nN). Furthermore, the separation force was not affected on addition of calcium chelating agent (ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid, EDTA). The separation force was, however, significantly decreased on treating cells with the actin disrupting agent Cytochalasin-D. These results show that the dual micropipette assay is a simple and useful experimental technique for quantifying cell–cell adhesion.
ISSN:0014-4851
1741-2765
DOI:10.1007/s11340-007-9113-1