E-cadherin

Definition

e-cadherin is a type of cell adhesion molecule that plays a critical role in maintaining the structural integrity of epithelial tissues by facilitating cell-to-cell adhesion. This protein is essential for the formation of adherens junctions, which are key in regulating tissue architecture and cellular signaling. e-cadherin's function is particularly important during processes such as embryonic development and wound healing, where changes in cell adhesion can lead to epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMT).

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. e-cadherin is encoded by the CDH1 gene, and mutations in this gene can lead to various cancers, including gastric cancer.
2. During EMT, the expression of e-cadherin is downregulated, leading to the loss of cell adhesion, which facilitates cell migration and invasion.
3. e-cadherin interacts with catenins to connect to the cytoskeleton, helping to stabilize cell-cell contacts.
4. The activity of e-cadherin is regulated by various signaling pathways, including those involving growth factors and the Wnt pathway.
5. Restoration of e-cadherin expression has been studied as a therapeutic strategy in cancer treatment to reverse EMT and inhibit tumor progression.

Review Questions

• How does e-cadherin contribute to maintaining the structural integrity of epithelial tissues?
  • e-cadherin is crucial for maintaining the structural integrity of epithelial tissues by facilitating strong cell-to-cell adhesion through adherens junctions. These junctions help keep cells tightly packed together, which is essential for forming barriers and maintaining tissue architecture. Without e-cadherin, epithelial cells would lose their adhesive properties, leading to tissue disorganization and compromised barrier functions.
• Discuss the role of e-cadherin in the context of epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMT) during development.
  • In the context of EMT during development, e-cadherin plays a pivotal role as its expression is downregulated to allow epithelial cells to lose their adhesive properties. This downregulation is a key step in enabling these cells to acquire mesenchymal traits, such as increased motility and invasiveness. The transition from an epithelial to a mesenchymal phenotype facilitated by reduced e-cadherin levels is critical for processes such as gastrulation and organ formation.
• Evaluate the implications of e-cadherin dysregulation in cancer progression and how it might be targeted therapeutically.
  • Dysregulation of e-cadherin is implicated in cancer progression, as its downregulation is often associated with increased invasiveness and metastasis. Tumor cells that undergo EMT lose their adhesive characteristics due to decreased e-cadherin levels, enabling them to migrate away from the primary tumor site. Therapeutically targeting e-cadherin expression or restoring its function could potentially inhibit this invasive behavior, providing a strategy for limiting cancer spread and improving patient outcomes.

Related terms

Adherens Junctions: Cell junctions that connect the actin cytoskeleton of one cell to that of another, playing a critical role in maintaining tissue integrity.

Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT): A biological process where epithelial cells lose their characteristics and gain migratory and invasive properties, often associated with development and cancer metastasis.

Catenins: A group of proteins that link e-cadherin to the actin cytoskeleton and are involved in regulating cell adhesion and signaling.