Cell contact

FIGURE 10.37 Gap Juoctioos consist of hexameric arrays of cylindrical protein subunits in the plasma membrane. The subunit cylinders are tilted with respect to the axis running through the center of the gap Junction. A gap Junction between cells is formed when two hexameric arrays of subunits in separate cells contact each other and form a pore through which cellular contents may pass. Gap Junctions close by means of a twisting, sliding motion in which the subunits decrease their tilt with respect to the central axis. Closure of the gap Junction is Ca -dependent. 

The classical cadherins are translated as precursor because they are N-terminally cleaved to reveal the mature proteins. This processing is required to activate the cell adhesion function of cadherins. Cadherins interact in trans (i.e., from opposite cells) via the most N-terminal cadherin rqDeats. A short amino acid sequence within this repeat, histidine-alanine-valine (HAV), has been implicated in mediating cell-cell contacts as HAV peptides can disrupt cadherin-dependent cell adhesion. Besides the trans-interactions of cadherins, the extracellular domains are also capable of forming cis-dimers through lateral amino acid contacts between cadherin molecules on one cell. This dimerization again mainly involves the first cadherin repeat. A zipper model based on the pattern of alternating cis- and trans-dimers [1] for the adhesive interactions has been proposed. 

Desmoplakin is the most abundant desmosomal component that plays a critical role in linking intermediate filament networks to the desmosomal plaque. Desmoplakin forms rod-like dimers that bind to intermediate filaments and to the cadherin-associated proteins plakoglobin and plakophilin. Gene knock-out experiments have revealed an essential role of desmoplakin in establishing cell-cell contacts in early mouse embryos. 

S1P-, S1P (nM) SPC (pM) Ubiquitous Gj/o Migration f, proliferation, survival, cell-cell-contacts, angiogenesis, lymphocyte trafficking... 

Nagasaki, T., Chapin, C.J., Gundersen, G.G. (1992). Distribution of detyrosinated microtubules in motile NRK fibroblasts is rapidly altered upon cell-cell contact Implications for contact inhibition of locomotion. Cell Mot. Cytoskel. 23,45-60. 

Dunlop [18] proposed a model for sub-lytic effects in plant cells, based on the same principles, but including four properties postulated to be of particular importance in these systems, namely calcium ion flux, osmo-regulation, cell-cell contact/aggregation and stress protein expression. Of these factors, osmo-regulation (and its inter-relationship with the cell wall) and aggregation patterns, in particular, distinguish plant cells from mammalian cell systems. 

Many vimses, both DNA and RNA containing, will cause cancer in animals. This so-called oncogenic achvity of a vims can be demonstrated by the observahon of tumour formahon in inoculated experimental animals and by the ability of the vims to transform normal tissue culture cells into cells with malignant characteristics. These transformed cells are easily recognizable as they exhibit such properties as rapid growth and frequent mitosis, or loss of normal cell contact inhibition, so that they pile up on top of each other instead of remaining in a well-organized layer. 

In the family of cation pumps, only the Na,K-ATPase and H,K-ATPase possess a p subunit glycoprotein (Table II), while the Ca-ATPase and H-ATPase only consist of an a subunit with close to 1 000 amino acid residues. It is tempting to propose that the p subunit should be involved in binding and transport of potassium, but the functional domains related to catalysis in Na,K-ATPase seem to be contributed exclusively by the a subunit. The functional role of the P subunit is related to biosynthesis, intracellular transport and cell-cell contacts. The P subunit is required for assembly of the aj8 unit in the endoplasmic reticulum [20]. Association with a j8 subunit is required for maturation of the a subunit and for intracellular transport of the xP unit to the plasma membrane. In the jSl-subunit isoform, three disulphide... 

In steady-state measurements at current densities such as to cause surface-concentration changes, the measuring time should be longer than the time needed to set up steady concentration gradients. Microelectrodes or cells with strong convection of the electrolyte are used to accelerate these processes. In 1937, B. V. Ershler used for this purpose a thin-layer electrode, a smooth platinum electrode in a narrow cell, contacting a thin electrolyte layer. 

Lehner Mitosis is a risky procedure it involves the disruption of cell—cell contacts, for instance. Broken chromosomes can get lost during mitosis. If it is not worth the effort, why do it ... 

Goldstein B 1995 Cell contacts orient some cell division axes in the Caenorhabditiselegans embryo. J Cell Biol 129 1071-1080... 

Bhattacharyya, S.P., Drucker, I., Reshef, T., Kirshenbaum, A.S., Metcalfe, D.D. and Mekori, Y.A. (1998) Activated T lymphocytes induce degranulation and cytokine production by human mast cells following cell-to-cell contact. Journal of Leukocyte Biology 63, 337-341. 

Yet another family of junction adhesion molecules (JAMs) was recently located at the tight junctions of both endothelial and epithelial cells. The intracellular domain of JAM-1 also interacts with structural and signaling proteins, such as ZO-1 and cingulin. Lastly, the molecular organization of the endothelial cell junctions includes two other cell-cell contact Ca2+-dependent cadherin-catenin systems. These make up the adherens junction common to all endothelial cell junctions. 

The primary and tertiary structures of the cholinesterases are known. The primary structures of the cholinesterases initially defined a large and functionally eclectic superfamily of proteins, the a,P hydrolase fold family, that function not only catalytically as hydrolases but also as surface adhesion molecules forming heterologous cell contacts, as seen in the structurally related proteins... 

CD8 Cell associated Antigen presented by MHC I clonal expansion of CD8 cells Activation of cytotoxic (CD-8) T cells Contact dermatitis (poison ivy) Chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis... 

Does Cell Contact with a Substrate Reservoir Allow the Direct Uptake of Sorbed, Liquid, Gaseous, and... 

DOES CELL CONTACT WITH A SUBSTRATE RESERVOIR ALLOW THE DIRECT UPTAKE OF SORBED, LIQUID, GASEOUS, AND SOLID SUBSTRATES ... 

TNF- a was first purified from conditioned medium from HL-60 cells. It has a relative molecular mass of 17 kDa when analysed by SDS-PAGE, but 45 kDa when analysed by gel filtration. Thus, the molecule exists as a non-glycosylated trimer with a pi of 5.3. Each monomer comprises 157 amino acids and contains two cysteine residues that form a disulphide bridge. Trimer formation appears to be due to noncovalent interactions between the monomers. Human TNF-a is synthesised as a 233-amino-acid protein that is proteolytically cleaved during processing. Whilst the 17-kDa form is readily secreted (and hence can function as an extracellular mediator), a 26-kDa transmembrane form has also been identified. This form of TNF-a may thus function in cytotoxicity resulting from cell-cell contact. 

CR3, LFA-1 and pl50,95 are a family of leukocyte proteins with distinct a-subunits but a common /J-subunit (Fig. 3.6). They are involved in cell-cell contact as well as in cell-substrate interactions. They thus function in a variety of adhesive processes. 

Ideally, the most effective prevention of HIV infection would be a vaccine that blocks virus infection in individuals. Indeed, effective vaccines have been developed against most human viruses that cause serious diseases. While several different possible vaccines against HIV are under development, there are some theoretical reasons why it may be difficult to develop an effective one. First, HIV has the unique ability to evade the immune system in an infected individual. Briefly, this results from (1) the high mutation rate of the virus, particularly in the env gene (2) the ability of the virus to establish a latent state in some cells and (3) the ability of the virus to spread by cell-to-cell contact. The object of the vaccine is to raise a protective immune response to the infectious agent. Since HIV evades the immune system so efficiently, it may be difficult for a vaccine to prevent HIV infection in an individual, even if it can induce production of neutralizing antibodies or cell-mediated immunity. 

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