CELL AND

TISSUE ENGINEERING
(SMBE 4343)

Cells Adhesion

Dr. Norhana Jusoh

08112021
Cell Adhesion
Cell adhesion is the process by which cells form contacts
with each other or with their substratum through specialized
protein complexes..

Cirulli, 2015
Cell Adhesion
Cell and cell
o Intercellular adhesion can be mediated by adherens
junctions, tight junctions and desmosomes,

Cell and ECM

o whereas cells can interact with extracellular matrix
molecules through focal adhesions
o Epithelial cells adhere to each other.
o At the basal surface, they adhere to the basal lamina of ECM.
The process of cell adhesion (Xi et al., 2015).
a) A cell comes into contact with the substrate, attaches loosely,
flattens, and begins to spread its membrane over the substrate
surface.
b) Simultaneously, the cell forms adhesion complexes that connect the
extracellular matrix (ECM) with intracellular actin filaments (stress
fibers) through integrin.
c) These adhesion complexes lead to the establishment of focal
adhesions (FAs), which anchor the cell securely on the surface of
the substrate
myforgottencoast.com
 Cytoskeleton
• A network of protein fibers.
• Functions:
- support the shape of cells and anchor organelles to fix
locations.
- provides mechanical support that enables cells to carry out
essential functions like division and movement.
• Constantly assemble and disassemble.
• Individual fibers are formed by polymerization.
• Three types:
• Actin filaments, microtubules, intermediate filaments.
Actin filaments (Microfilaments)
• Made of two strands of fibrous protein “actin” twisted together.
• Occurs in bundles.
• Function: cellular movement – contraction, crawling, ‘pinching”
during division, formation of cellular extensions.
• Bundles that concentrated below the plasma membrane are known
as “stress fibers”. May have contractile function.

Microtubules
• Are composed of tubulin protein subunits arranged side by side to
form a tube.
• Function: facilitate cellular movement, stabilize cell structure,
organize movement of materials within cell.

Intermediate filaments
• Are composed of overlapping tetramers of proteins.
• Function: provide mechanical strength to the cell.
• e.g. vimentin, keratin
• For cells in tissues to function in an integrated
manner, specialized junctions consisting of
clustered cell-adhesion molecules are
essential.
• Four major classes of junctions:
1) tight junction
2) gap junction
3) cell-cell junction– via cadherins
- adheren junction
- desmosomes
4) cell-matrix junction – via integrins
Six major types of cell junctions in the intestinal epithelium. All six of these major junctions
are central in epithelial adhesion, communication, and notably, intestinal permeability
Cell junctions
(1) Tight junctions play a key role in sealing cells together
and creating a barrier that is crucial in controlling paracellular
transport.
(2) Adherens junctions interact with the actin cytoskeleton
and cadherins to support cell-cell adhesion.
(3) Similarly, desmosomes adhere neighboring cells with
cadherin proteins and intermediate filaments.
(4) Gap junctions serve as cytoplasmic bridges between
cells and are essential in communication and movement of
small molecules.
(5) Focal adhesions interact with integrins and actin
filaments to promote adhesion between cells and the extra
cellular matrix.
(6) Finally, hemidesmosomes are also associated with
integrins, but form connections with intermediate filaments in
order to anchor cells to the extra cellular matrix.
Cellular Adhesion Molecules (CAMs)
• proteins located on the cell surface that guide cells on the
move and enable certain cells bind together.

• Proteins are made of amino acid molecules and their role in

the human body is to provide structure and serve
as catalysts.

• Five principal classes of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs):

1) cadherins  depends on Ca2+ ions
2) immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily
3) selectins  depends on Ca2+ ions
4) mucins
5) integrins
Integrin is an adhesion molecule that plays a central role in forming a bond
between a cell and ECM. The transmembrane protein integrin plays a role
in transducing information from outside the cell into the cell. FAK stands for
focal adhesion kinase.
Cadherin, which binds same types of cells together, also
transducts information from outside the cell.
Selectins comprise a family of three members (E-, P-,
and L-selectin) that are differentially expressed by
leukocytes and endothelial cells, and are involved in the
early steps of leukocyte extravasation.

ICAM: Intercellular Adhesion Molecule

The immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF) is a class of proteins
that are associated with the adhesion, binding and recognition
processes of cells.
Here is a list of some molecules of this family:
• NCAMs Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules
• ICAM-1 Intercellular Cell Adhesion Molecule
• VCAM-1 Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule
• PECAM-1 Platelet-endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule
• L1 family including L1 (protein), CHL1, Neurofascin and NrCAM
• SIGLEC family including Myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG, SIGLEC-
4), CD22 and CD83
• CTX family including CTX, Junctional adhesion molecule (JAM), BT-
IgSF, Coxsackie virus and adenovirus receptor (CAR), VSIG, ESAM
• Nectins and related proteins, including CADM1 and other Synaptic Cell
Adhesion Molecules
• CD2
• CD48
• HEPACAM
• HEPACAM2
• DSCAM - Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule