Intercellular cohesion

Results from in vitro experiments, catalytic properties, and tissue localization are all compatible with the role of SCCE in the degradation of intercellular cohesive structures in the stratum corneum as part of the events leading to remodeling of the tissue and eventually to desquamation. Increased expression of SCCE in the epidermis of transgenic mice leads to impaired barrier function with increased transepidermal water loss. The transgenic animals have a thickened epidermis and a marked hyperkeratosis, possibly reflecting compensatory reactions.47-48 There are also other proteases... 

Keijbets, M. J. H. (1974). Pectic Substances in the Cell Wall and the Intercellular Cohesion of Potato Tuber Tissue during Cooking. Ph.D. thesis, Centre for Agricultural Publishing and Documentation, Wageningen, The Netherlands. 

Blanching temperatures, holding times, sometimes with the aid of calcium ions or pH shift are manipulated in such a way that the esterases are activated, causing a partial de-esterification of the pectins which then react with (added) calcium ions resulting in stronger intercellular cohesion. To prevent accumulation of methanol in distillates from fermented fruit pulps pectin esterases should be inactivated (59). 

Intercellular Cohesiveness in Various Murine Neoplasms and the Presence of Intracisternal Particles, Anat. Rec. (1971) 169, 272-273. 

Release of malignant cells from the tumor mass intercellular cohesion... 

Intercellular cohesion is a difficult parameter to quantitate, and reliable results depend very much on a careful set up of the experimental conditions. The intercellular cohesive ability of cells can be estimated either by (1) Measuring the shearing force required to disrupt cell aggregates or by (2) Evaluating the propensity of single cells in suspension to form aggregates under controlled conditions. 

Shearing of cell aggregates. This method was described by Tullberg and Burger (1985) to measure subtle changes in the intercellular cohesive abihty of B16 melanoma cells selected for their ability to penetrate filter pores 10 times smaller than their cell diameter. 

An alternative assay to estimate intercellular cohesion is the monolayer adhesion assay, originally described by Walther et al. (1973) and modified by Tao et al. (1983). Details on this assay can be found in Section 2.3 below. 

TuUberg, K. E. and Burger, M. M. (1985). Selection of B16 melanoma cells with increased metastatic potential and low intercellular cohesion using nucleopore filters. Invasion Metastasis 5, 1-15. 

Due to protein-water binding, human skin has the capacity to absorb five to six times its weight in water. The extent of skin hydration is directly related to the penetration rate of toxic materials. Controversy exists about whether hair follicles contribute to increased penetration, but some studies do show increased absorption through hairy skin. Inflammation in the skin leads to vasodilatation and increased blood flow and subsequently increased penetration of toxic material. Aging contributes to decreased lipid barrier protection and decreased intercellular cohesion and increased penetration of toxic material. 

While at the root end up to 10 layers of cuticle cells are stacked over each other, this thickness of the cuticle layer decreases with increasing distance from the scalp as mechanical and environmental stresses cause ablation of cuticle fragments until occasionally the cuticle envelope has been totally worn away at the tips of long fibers. Since the cuticle envelope provides mechanical and chemical protection to the cortex, its absence can cause deterioration of the CMC between cortical cells leading to loss of intercellular cohesion and the formation of split ends. ... 

Note-. Dye fixation per cell and intercellular cohesion loss were scored on 0-4 s.cales with 0 meaning no fixation of dye per cell or no loss of cell cohesion, and 4 meaning strong staining and all cells isolated. 

---