| dc.description.abstract | The establishment of endothelial cell-cell contacts is critical for the development and maintenance of the vascular network. Endothelial cell adherens junctions (AJ) are cell-cell adhesion complexes consisting of clusters of vascular endothelial (VE) cadherin linked to the cortical actin cytoskeleton through catenins. Actin polymerization and remodeling are important for the formation, maturation, and turnover of AJ. Research was conducted to elucidate the role of the Nck family of SH2/SH3 domain-containing adaptor proteins, well established regulators of the actin cytoskeleton, in the formation and remodeling of AJ in endothelial cells. I tested the hypothesis that Nck adaptors contribute to the formation of a polarized vascular lumen through the enhancement of VE-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesions. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of Nck in the formation of VE-cadherin-based cell adhesions. To these aims, I used a combination of molecular genetics, cell biology, and high resolution fluorescent
microscopy. In the experiment, the effects of calcium were seen in the development of cell-cell junctions. When calcium was removed with EGTA, the VE-cadherin was delocalized from the edges of the cells. The EGTA also disrupted the actin fibers. The reintroduction of calcium reestablished the endothelial junctions between cells. | en |
