((( Latest Protein Spotlight issue: a tighter mesh )))
April 2016
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A fabric whose weave is slack is less resistant to strain than one
whose knit is close. These physical principles of toughness are
followed by Nature all the way down the molecular scale. At the
cellular level, protrusions known as microvilli grow at the apical end
of the epithelial cells that line the intestinal tract. Each
protrusion is like a finger dipping into the gut lumen. There can be
up to one thousand protrusions on the end of each cell, which together
form a fuzzy lining that looks like the bristles of a very long brush,
hence its name: the brush border. These protruding digits are not free
to wiggle as they wish however. Each protrusion is linked firmly to
neighbouring protrusions thus making the whole system tougher in a
realm - digestion - where tissues can undergo severe mechanical
insults. But you need something to tighten the mesh. This is performed
by proteins that belong to a family known as the cadherins, namely
CDHR2 and CDHR5.
Read more: http://www.proteinspotlight.org
If you would like to make a direct link to this issue, please use the
following link: http://www.proteinspotlight.org/back_issues/178/
If you wish to unsubscribe, you may do so here:
http://www.proteinspotlight.org/unsubscribe/
((( Latest Protein Spotlight issue: A tighter mesh )))
April 2016
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A fabric whose weave is slack is less resistant to strain than one
whose knit is close. These physical principles of toughness are
followed by Nature all the way down the molecular scale. At the
cellular level, protrusions known as microvilli grow at the apical end
of the epithelial cells that line the intestinal tract. Each
protrusion is like a finger dipping into the gut lumen. There can be
up to one thousand protrusions on the end of each cell, which together
form a fuzzy lining that looks like the bristles of a very long brush,
hence its name: the brush border. These protruding digits are not free
to wiggle as they wish however. Each protrusion is linked firmly to
neighbouring protrusions thus making the whole system tougher in a
realm - digestion - where tissues can undergo severe mechanical
insults. But you need something to tighten the mesh. This is performed
by proteins that belong to a family known as the cadherins, namely
cadherin-related family members.
Read more: http://www.proteinspotlight.org
If you would like to make a direct link to this issue, please use the
following link: http://www.proteinspotlight.org/back_issues/178/
If you wish to unsubscribe, you may do so here:
http://www.proteinspotlight.org/unsubscribe/
--
*Karin Sonesson*
System Administrator
*SIB | Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics*
Karin.Sonesson(a)sib.swiss - www.sib.swiss
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