Using microscopy techniques to identify the network of actin filiments, the researchers found it includes star-shaped hubs and long cables connecting dozens of cells to one another.<\/p>\n
This so-called supracellular structure can contract and generate tension at the surface of cells. It also remains dynamic and reorganizes as cells migrate collectively.<\/p>\n
The findings suggest that this actin network plays a role in transmitting mechanical forces over long distances, up to 14 cells away. The work thus sheds new light on the biomechanical properties of epithelial tissues, the scientists believe.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese supracellular actin structures could play an essential role in the barrier function performed by these tissues,\u201d said Emery, a professor in UdeM\u2019s Department of Pathology and Cell Biology.<\/p>\n
\u201cStudying them could improve our understanding of biological processes such as morphogenesis \u2014 that is, the formation of tissues and organs \u2014 or wound healing. They also offer a new perspective for exploring certain pathologies that affect epithelia.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Using microscopy techniques to identify the network of actin filiments, the researchers found it includes star-shaped hubs and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":714418,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[49,48,11242,20814,232260,97286,258820,238480,238481,1058,994,66],"class_list":["post-714417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-science","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-cell","tag-cell-biology","tag-department-of-pathology-and-cellular-biology","tag-faculty-of-medicine","tag-gregory-emery","tag-institut-de-recherche-en-immunologie-et-en-cancerologie-de-luniversite-de-montreal","tag-iric","tag-medicine","tag-research","tag-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/714417","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=714417"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/714417\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/714418"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=714417"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=714417"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=714417"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}