Stroma regulates increased epithelial lateral cell adhesion in 3D culture: a role for actin/cadherin dynamics.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cell shape and tissue architecture are controlled by changes to junctional proteins and the cytoskeleton. How tissues control the dynamics of adhesion and cytoskeletal tension is unclear. We have studied epithelial tissue architecture using 3D culture models and found that adult primary prostate epithelial cells grow into hollow acinus-like spheroids. Importantly, when co-cultured with stroma the epithelia show increased lateral cell adhesions. To investigate this mechanism further we aimed to: identify a cell line model to allow repeatable and robust experiments; determine whether or not epithelial adhesion molecules were affected by stromal culture; and determine which stromal signalling molecules may influence cell adhesion in 3D epithelial cell cultures.

Methodolo

SUBMITTER: Chambers KF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3078910 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature