Extracellular leucine-rich repeat proteins are required to organize the apical extracellular matrix and maintain epithelial junction integrity in C. elegans.

ABSTRACT: Epithelial cells are linked by apicolateral junctions that are essential for tissue integrity. Epithelial cells also secrete a specialized apical extracellular matrix (ECM) that serves as a protective barrier. Some components of the apical ECM, such as mucins, can influence epithelial junction remodeling and disassembly during epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the molecular composition and biological roles of the apical ECM are not well understood. We identified a set of extracellular leucine-rich repeat only (eLRRon) proteins in C. elegans (LET-4 and EGG-6) that are expressed on the apical surfaces of epidermal cells and some tubular epithelia, including the excretory duct and pore. A previously characterized paralog, SYM-1, is also expressed in epidermal cells and secr

SUBMITTER: Mancuso VP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3274359 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature