Oktoberfest for adhesion structures

Abstract

Meeting on Adhesion

Figure 1

Different types of cell–extracellular matrix contact structures. (A) Elongated focal adhesions (FAs) in a stationary adhesive cell. (B) Peripheral focal complexes (FXs) and anchoring FAs in a protruding cell. (C) Podosomes (yellow) in smooth muscle cells. (D) Podosome rosettes (yellow) in epithelial cells. (E) Podosomes can aggregate to rings. (F) Aggregates of podosome rings can form belt-like structures. (G) Invadopodia (red; arrowheads) in a cell grown on a fluorescent extracellular matrix substrate (green) form preferentially in the centre of the cell. Images were provided by M. Gimona (A, B, C, E, F), S. Linder (D), and R. Buccione and I. A. Grande (G).

Figure 2

Differences between adhesion structures. Focal adhesions (1) anchor bundled actin filaments at the sites of integrin clustering and extracellular matrix (ECM) contact. By contrast, podosomes (2) and invadopodia (3) are characterized by high actin polymerization activity and short, disorganized actin cores surrounded by a ring of adhesion structures. Whereas the podosome cores are dynamic and have a minute-scale turnover rate, invadopodia can remain stable for several hours and invade the ECM as a consequence of excessive matrix degradation. Green spheres. pieces of ECM removed from the substrate by MMP activity;grey circles, vinculin-rich adhesion sites; white areas, regions of complete ECM degradation.

The Adhesion Meeting 2005 was organized by S. Linder, R. Fässler, E. Genot and P. Jurdic, and took place in Munich between 28 and 30 April 2005. The booklet of abstracts and a picture gallery of the meeting can be accessed at: www.adhesion-meeting.com