Crossref journal-article
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Science (221)
Abstract

Cell adhesion by adherens junctions and desmosomes relies on interactions between cadherin molecules. However, the molecular interfaces that define molecular specificity and that mediate adhesion remain controversial. We used electron tomography of plastic sections from neonatal mouse skin to visualize the organization of desmosomes in situ. The resulting three-dimensional maps reveal individual cadherin molecules forming discrete groups and interacting through their tips. Fitting of an x-ray crystal structure for C-cadherin to these maps is consistent with a flexible intermolecular interface mediated by an exchange of amino-terminal tryptophans. This flexibility suggests a novel mechanism for generating both cis and trans interactions and for propagating these adhesive interactions along the junction.

Bibliography

He, W., Cowin, P., & Stokes, D. L. (2003). Untangling Desmosomal Knots with Electron Tomography. Science, 302(5642), 109–113.

Authors 3
  1. Wanzhong He (first)
  2. Pamela Cowin (additional)
  3. David L. Stokes (additional)
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Dates
Type When
Created 21 years, 10 months ago (Oct. 2, 2003, 4:43 p.m.)
Deposited 1 year, 7 months ago (Jan. 9, 2024, 10:01 p.m.)
Indexed 2 months, 1 week ago (June 13, 2025, 6:25 a.m.)
Issued 21 years, 10 months ago (Oct. 3, 2003)
Published 21 years, 10 months ago (Oct. 3, 2003)
Published Print 21 years, 10 months ago (Oct. 3, 2003)
Funders 0

None

@article{He_2003, title={Untangling Desmosomal Knots with Electron Tomography}, volume={302}, ISSN={1095-9203}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1086957}, DOI={10.1126/science.1086957}, number={5642}, journal={Science}, publisher={American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)}, author={He, Wanzhong and Cowin, Pamela and Stokes, David L.}, year={2003}, month=oct, pages={109–113} }