Mechanotransduction at cadherin-mediated adhesions

► The role of force at cell-to-cell junctions in development and disease. ► Recent advances in quantitative measurements of intercellular tension. ► Recent results demonstrating that cadherin complexes are tension sensors at cell-to-cell junctions. ► Recent findings indicate that alpha catenin is a tension sensor at cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesions. ► Initial mechanistic studies implicating vinculin in the alpha-catenin-dependent force-transduction pathway at cadherin adhesions.