Role of Actin Cytoskeleton in E-cadherin-Based Cell-Cell Adhesion Assembly and Maintenance

The cellular cytoskeleton consisting of microtubules, intermediate filaments and the actin filaments is a dynamic structure providing shape and structural stability to cells. Particularly, the actin cytoskeleton formed by a combination of polymerized actin molecules and several other actin binding proteins including myosin is key to sensing and development of mechanical forces in cells. Given this and other features, the actin cytoskeleton has been implicated in a variety of cellular process including cellular motility and migration, cytokinesis, phagocytosis, cytoplasmic streaming, organelle transport, cellular transformation and metastasis, cellular metabolism, cell-matrix adhesion, and cell-cell adhesion. The latter is mediated by E-cadherin in the epithelial tissue and is fundamental to tissue morphogenesis and normal development. Here we discuss the role of the actin cytoskeleton in the assembly and maintenance of E-cadherin-based cell-cell adhesion through the formation of cellular appendages such as filopodia and lamellipodia and thus, impinging on one of the fundamental features of multicellular organisms.