The regulation and functional impact of actin assembly at cadherin cell–cell adhesions

Cadherin adhesion receptors are critical components for the maintenance of tissue architecture and organisation during development and in post-embryonic life. These receptors influence the actin cytoskeletal network by controlling its assembly at the junctions. Likewise, the actin cytoskeleton is required for cadherin integrity at cell–cell contacts. The junctional cytoskeleton is intrinsically dynamic and undergoes constant assembly and reorganisation to maintain a morphologically stable structure. This is governed by a host of molecular players that regulate actin assembly during nucleation and at post-nucleation stages. This review highlights the molecular machinery implicated in actin organisation at various stages of junctional assembly and its functional impact in simple epithelia and other model systems.

► Cadherins are functionally linked to the actin cytoskeleton.
► The junctional cytoskeleton is morphologically stable but consists of intrinsically dynamic components.
► Actin assembly at the junctions occurs through nucleation, filament elongation and post-nucleation reorganisation.
► Spatio-temporal coordination of actin regulators is required for junctional actin organisation in tissue homeostasis.