Cell Junctions and Cell Adhesions in Physiology and Diseases
A special issue of Current Issues in Molecular Biology (ISSN 1467-3045). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Medicine".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2024) | Viewed by 1360
Special Issue Editor
Interests: cancer therapy; drug development; biomarker; cell junctions; cell adhesion; permeability; leukocyte infiltration; cadherin; cell adhesions; integrins; chemokines; proteases; cell migration; inflammation; cancer
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In order to sense and communicate with their microenvironment, adherent cells, including epithelial, endothelial and mesenchymal cells, rely on two main types of cell contact: cell–cell junctions between neighboring cells and cell adhesions between the cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM). The dysregulation of cell–cell junctions and cell–ECM adhesions contributes to tissue dysfunctions, the pathogenesis of several diseases and alters drug delivery in cancer therapy. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that control these two cell-contact structures and their intercommunication is vital for tissue regenerative medicine, as well as the development of efficient therapeutic drugs in cancers and inflammatory diseases.
Cell–cell contacts contribute to intercellular communication, the transport of fluid and solutes, and maintain barrier functions and tissue stability. Cell junctions are particularly perturbed by substances such as growth factors, cytokines, hormones and drugs in pathological conditions, which cause the uncontrolled infiltration of fluid and immune cells. How to efficiently keep homeostatic cell–cell junctions under control is a question that remains unresolved.
On the other hand, cell–ECM adhesions, mainly mediated by integrin receptors, are crucial for the synthesis of matrix components (i.e., fibrosis), cell migration, cell physiology and more recently, for the regulation of intercellular junctions. Recent studies have indicated that cell adhesions, their transmembrane receptors such as integrins, and adapter proteins such as Talins, Kindlins and Tensins significantly contribute to the control of cell–cell junctions in both physiological and pathological conditions. It is now conceivable that molecular tools could be efficiently employed to target cell–ECM adhesions and consequently control cell junctions, as well as the excessive infiltration of tissue fluid and immune cells.
Several questions regarding the molecular mechanisms, technical challenges, therapeutic developments and unresolved mechanistic controversies related to cell junctions and cell adhesions, as well as their intercommunication in physiology and pathophysiology, need to be addressed.
The aim of this Special Issue in CIMB is to collect original articles, as well as reviews, discussing these questions. The scope of this issue includes, but is not limited to, mechanistic insights into in vivo and in vitro works related to the following topics:
- Cell–cell junctions in physiology and pathophysiology
- Cell adhesions in physiology and pathophysiology
- Intercommunication between components of cell–ECM adhesions and cell–cell junctions
- Control of vascular permeability and fluid infiltration into peripheral tissues
- Cell junction-mediated control of leukocyte diapedesis
- Role of cell adhesion and migration in cancer
- Cell junctions and adhesion receptors in matrix synthesis and fibrosis
- Post-translational modifications to the components of cell adhesions and junctions
- Drug development: targeting cell junctions and cell adhesion components in diseases
Dr. Adama Sidibé
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- tight junctions
- adherens junctions
- cell adhesions
- ECM
- fibrosis
- cadherin
- integrins
- adapters
- permeability
- migration
- cancer
- drug development
