Integrating Cells Into Tissues Dawn M. Ford

A Brief Overview Cells aggregate into 5 main classes of tissue Muscular Nervous Connective Epithelial Blood Tissues are assembled to form organs

Cell Adhesion Allows cells to aggregate & provides means for bidirectional transfer of information Cell-to-cell adhesion Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) Cell-matrix adhesion Adhesion receptors bind to extracellular matrix (ECM)

Cell-To-Cell Adhesion

CAMs Homotypic or heterotypic adhesion Homophilic or heterophilic binding Broadly distributed or clustered in cell junctions Long lasting adhesions or transient

Four Major CAM Families Cadherins Ca2+ dependent interactions Selectins Recognize glycoproteins & glycolipids Immunoglobulin-Superfamily Ca2+ independent interactions Integrins Multi-functional

Cell-Matrix Adhesion

Extracellular Matrix Proteoglycans Collagens Soluble Multiadhesive Matrix Proteins

The Big Picture Adhesions very important in animal tissues Formation Composition Architecture Function Adhesion molecules are highly conserved proteins Complex organisms have depended on their evolution

The End La Fin Das Ende Het Eind l'estremità