biostudies-literatureOzawa TNIAMS NIH HHS1624-35https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC2882194biostudies-literatureUnknown130(6)Epidermal cells adhere to the basement membrane zone through cell-matrix junctions termed hemidesmosomes. During wound healing, hemidesmosomes are disassembled to allow keratinocytes to move over wound sites. Such movement is mediated by both hemidesmosome protein complexes (HPCs) and focal contacts (FCs). In this study, we analyzed the interaction between HPCs and FCs in live HaCat cells expressing yellow fluorescent protein (YFP)-tagged beta4 integrin and cyan fluorescent protein (CFP)-tagged alpha-actinin as markers of HPCs and FCs, respectively. In HaCat cells migrating to repopulate wounds, FC proteins cluster rapidly in the direction of the wound. HPC assembly then follows and the newly formed HPCs occupy sites vacated by the disassembled FCs. HPC dynamics are dramatically reduced, aThe Journal of investigative dermatologyDynamic relationship of focal contacts and hemidesmosome protein complexes in live cells.PMC2882194R01 AR054184R01 AR054184-18R01 AR054184-19Ikeda KJones JCIshii MKawada AHarada TAoyama YKobayashi HOzawa TTsuruta DfalseDynamic relationship of focal contacts and hemidesmosome protein complexes in live cells.Epidermal cells adhere to the basement membrane zone through cell-matrix junctions termed hemidesmosomes. During wound healing, hemidesmosomes are disassembled to allow keratinocytes to move over wound sites. Such movement is mediated by both hemidesmosome protein complexes (HPCs) and focal contacts (FCs). In this study, we analyzed the interaction between HPCs and FCs in live HaCat cells expressing yellow fluorescent protein (YFP)-tagged beta4 integrin and cyan fluorescent protein (CFP)-tagged alpha-actinin as markers of HPCs and FCs, respectively. In HaCat cells migrating to repopulate wounds, FC proteins cluster rapidly in the direction of the wound. HPC assembly then follows and the newly formed HPCs occupy sites vacated by the disassembled FCs. HPC dynamics are dramatically reduced, a2010-01-01T00:00:00Z2010 Jun2025-04-25T23:24:26.943Z2019-03-27T00:31:22ZS-EPMC28821942010748710.1038/jid.2009.439