Vinculin was identified as a component of focal adhesions and adherens junctions nearly 40
years ago. Since that time, remarkable progress has been made in understanding its …

Cadherins are the principal adhesion proteins at intercellular junctions and function as the
biochemical Velcro that binds cells together. Besides this mechanical function, cadherin …

Abbreviations used in this paper: AJ, adherens junction; CCD, charge-coupled device; FA,
focal adhesion; FAJ, focal adherens junction; HMEC-1, human dermal microvascular …

Photocontrol of functional peptides is a powerful tool for spatial and temporal control of cell
signaling events. We show that the genetically encoded light-sensitive LOV2 domain of …

Cells integrate biochemical and mechanical information to function within multicellular
tissue. Within develo** and remodeling tissues, mechanical forces contain instructive …

A cell constantly adapts to its environment. Cell decisions to survive, to proliferate or to
migrate are dictated not only by soluble growth factors, but also through the direct interaction …

Vinculin plays a fundamental role in integrin-mediated cell adhesion. Activated by talin, it
interacts with diverse adhesome components, enabling mechanical coupling between the …

Focal adhesions are clusters of integrin transmembrane receptors that mechanically couple
the extracellular matrix to the actin cytoskeleton during cell migration. Focal adhesions …

The force generated by the actomyosin cytoskeleton controls focal adhesion dynamics
during cell migration. This process is thought to involve the mechanical unfolding of talin to …

Proper regulation of the formation and stabilization of epithelial cell–cell adhesion is crucial
in embryonic morphogenesis and tissue repair processes. Defects in this process lead to …