The mechanism that determines the position of the cell In the intestinal epithelium discovered by researchers

How do cells where positioning and collecting their tasks correctly within each organ? Researchers with the detection of colorectal cancer Lab at IRB Barcelona has shown that the molecular mechanisms responsible for organizing the intestinal epithelium in different comportments, defined by the boundaries or areas. The study, headed by Eduard Batlle, Coordinator of the Oncology programme at IRB Barcelona and ICREA Research Professor, is published in the online version of the journal Nature Cell Biology, part of the prestigious group of an editorial nature.

The Organization of tissues and organs in the human body can be compared with a very complex and advanced engine, whose structure is maintained by the positioning of its components (cells) in a very precise way. Errors in the Assembly (location) of the components can lead to changes in the function of the engine (tissue or organ).

New protein complexes that cells at the right place position

Complex tissues and organs requires the separation of different cells types in separate zones with their architecture. In the case of the intestinal epithelium contains the lower part of the invaginations formed by the epithelium, called Crypts, stem cells regenerate tissue, where the top part keeps differentiated cells responsible for nutrient absorption.

The so-called EphB receptors, present in the cells at the bottom of the Crypts, bind to Ephrin ligands lies mainly in differentiated cells in the upper section of the intestinal epithelium. The ligand-receptor binding occurs at the border between the two cell populations and controls cell positioning in the fabric. So far, however, was the way these ligand-receptor bonds instruct cells in one place or other unknown.

The results of this study show that EphB-ephrin bindings the ADAM10 metaloprotease, which is the bond between different cell types, such as between cells from the bottom and the surface of crypts destroys. It is the destruction of these binding between cells from different compartments that prevents cell mix, hinder therefore agree cell type prevent wrong territory. In the words of Guiomar Solanas, first author of the article, "we have found the molecular mechanisms by which EphB receptors and their ligands tell each cell where it needs to be throughout its life: of his generation to its differentiation of stem cells in the crypt".

The loss of cell organization in a tissue is often associated with cancer. In addition to the loss of EphB is receptor function in tumors associated with a worse prognosis for patients. This new regulatory mechanism of kinship between cells types and territory maintenance would be key to our understanding of how less aggressive tumours plate tastes for malicious ones.

Article reference:

Division of E-cadherin by ADAM10 mediates epithelial cell Sorting downstream of EphB signaling. Guiomar Solanas, Carme Cortina, Marta Sevillano and Eduard Batlle. Nature cell biology (2011). [DOI: 10.1038/ncb2298]Nuria Noriega

Institute for research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)