E-cadherin, actin, microtubules and FAK dominate different spheroid formation phases and important elements of tissue integrity

Spheroids resemble features of tissues and serve as model systems to study cell–cell and cell–ECM interactions in non-adhesive three-dimensional environments. Although it is generally accepted that mature spheroids resemble tissue properties very well, no studies relate different phases in the spher...

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Main Authors: I. Smyrek, B. Mathew, S. C. Fischer, S. M. Lissek, S. Becker, E. H. K. Stelzer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Company of Biologists 2019-01-01
Series:Biology Open
Subjects:
Online Access:http://bio.biologists.org/content/8/1/bio037051
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author I. Smyrek
B. Mathew
S. C. Fischer
S. M. Lissek
S. Becker
E. H. K. Stelzer
author_facet I. Smyrek
B. Mathew
S. C. Fischer
S. M. Lissek
S. Becker
E. H. K. Stelzer
author_sort I. Smyrek
collection DOAJ
description Spheroids resemble features of tissues and serve as model systems to study cell–cell and cell–ECM interactions in non-adhesive three-dimensional environments. Although it is generally accepted that mature spheroids resemble tissue properties very well, no studies relate different phases in the spheroid formation processes that contribute to tissue integrity. Tissue integrity involves the cellular processes adhesion formation, adhesion reinforcement, rearrangement as well as proliferation. They maintain the structure and function of tissues and, upon dysregulation, contribute to malignancy. We investigated spheroid formation dynamics in cell lines of different metastatic potential. We dissected spheroid formation into phases of aggregation, compaction and growth to identify the respective contributions of E-cadherin, actin, microtubules and FAK. E-cadherin, actin and microtubules drive the first two phases. Microtubules and FAK are involved in the proliferation phase. FAK activity correlates with the metastatic potential of the cells. A robust computational model based on a very large number of experiments reveals the temporal resolution of cell adhesion. Our results provide novel hypotheses to unveil the general mechanisms that contribute to tissue integrity.
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spelling doaj.art-52f1e53e49894348a158965d48134bfd2022-12-21T20:28:05ZengThe Company of BiologistsBiology Open2046-63902019-01-018110.1242/bio.037051037051E-cadherin, actin, microtubules and FAK dominate different spheroid formation phases and important elements of tissue integrityI. Smyrek0B. Mathew1S. C. Fischer2S. M. Lissek3S. Becker4E. H. K. Stelzer5 Physical Biology/Physikalische Biologie (IZN, FB 15), Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (BMLS), Cluster of Excellence Frankfurt – Macromolecular Complexes (CEF – MC), Goethe Universität – Frankfurt am Main (Campus Riedberg), Max-von-Laue-Straße 15, D-60348 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Physical Biology/Physikalische Biologie (IZN, FB 15), Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (BMLS), Cluster of Excellence Frankfurt – Macromolecular Complexes (CEF – MC), Goethe Universität – Frankfurt am Main (Campus Riedberg), Max-von-Laue-Straße 15, D-60348 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Physical Biology/Physikalische Biologie (IZN, FB 15), Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (BMLS), Cluster of Excellence Frankfurt – Macromolecular Complexes (CEF – MC), Goethe Universität – Frankfurt am Main (Campus Riedberg), Max-von-Laue-Straße 15, D-60348 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Physical Biology/Physikalische Biologie (IZN, FB 15), Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (BMLS), Cluster of Excellence Frankfurt – Macromolecular Complexes (CEF – MC), Goethe Universität – Frankfurt am Main (Campus Riedberg), Max-von-Laue-Straße 15, D-60348 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Physical Biology/Physikalische Biologie (IZN, FB 15), Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (BMLS), Cluster of Excellence Frankfurt – Macromolecular Complexes (CEF – MC), Goethe Universität – Frankfurt am Main (Campus Riedberg), Max-von-Laue-Straße 15, D-60348 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Physical Biology/Physikalische Biologie (IZN, FB 15), Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (BMLS), Cluster of Excellence Frankfurt – Macromolecular Complexes (CEF – MC), Goethe Universität – Frankfurt am Main (Campus Riedberg), Max-von-Laue-Straße 15, D-60348 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Spheroids resemble features of tissues and serve as model systems to study cell–cell and cell–ECM interactions in non-adhesive three-dimensional environments. Although it is generally accepted that mature spheroids resemble tissue properties very well, no studies relate different phases in the spheroid formation processes that contribute to tissue integrity. Tissue integrity involves the cellular processes adhesion formation, adhesion reinforcement, rearrangement as well as proliferation. They maintain the structure and function of tissues and, upon dysregulation, contribute to malignancy. We investigated spheroid formation dynamics in cell lines of different metastatic potential. We dissected spheroid formation into phases of aggregation, compaction and growth to identify the respective contributions of E-cadherin, actin, microtubules and FAK. E-cadherin, actin and microtubules drive the first two phases. Microtubules and FAK are involved in the proliferation phase. FAK activity correlates with the metastatic potential of the cells. A robust computational model based on a very large number of experiments reveals the temporal resolution of cell adhesion. Our results provide novel hypotheses to unveil the general mechanisms that contribute to tissue integrity.http://bio.biologists.org/content/8/1/bio037051SpheroidsThree-dimensional cell cultureAdhesionTissue integrity
spellingShingle I. Smyrek
B. Mathew
S. C. Fischer
S. M. Lissek
S. Becker
E. H. K. Stelzer
E-cadherin, actin, microtubules and FAK dominate different spheroid formation phases and important elements of tissue integrity
Biology Open
Spheroids
Three-dimensional cell culture
Adhesion
Tissue integrity
title E-cadherin, actin, microtubules and FAK dominate different spheroid formation phases and important elements of tissue integrity
title_full E-cadherin, actin, microtubules and FAK dominate different spheroid formation phases and important elements of tissue integrity
title_fullStr E-cadherin, actin, microtubules and FAK dominate different spheroid formation phases and important elements of tissue integrity
title_full_unstemmed E-cadherin, actin, microtubules and FAK dominate different spheroid formation phases and important elements of tissue integrity
title_short E-cadherin, actin, microtubules and FAK dominate different spheroid formation phases and important elements of tissue integrity
title_sort e cadherin actin microtubules and fak dominate different spheroid formation phases and important elements of tissue integrity
topic Spheroids
Three-dimensional cell culture
Adhesion
Tissue integrity
url http://bio.biologists.org/content/8/1/bio037051
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AT scfischer ecadherinactinmicrotubulesandfakdominatedifferentspheroidformationphasesandimportantelementsoftissueintegrity
AT smlissek ecadherinactinmicrotubulesandfakdominatedifferentspheroidformationphasesandimportantelementsoftissueintegrity
AT sbecker ecadherinactinmicrotubulesandfakdominatedifferentspheroidformationphasesandimportantelementsoftissueintegrity
AT ehkstelzer ecadherinactinmicrotubulesandfakdominatedifferentspheroidformationphasesandimportantelementsoftissueintegrity