Présentation
What are the role and the dynamics of cell-cell interactions during cell polarization and collective directed migration? How loss of cellular interactions affects the migratory behavior of glioblastoma cells?
- We have shown that the adherens junction molecule N-Cadherin is downregulated in high grade gliomas. Low expression of N-cadherin increases astrocyte migration and alters astrocyte polarity and migration persistence, recapitulating several aspects of the abnormal migration of glioma cells in vitro (Camand et al. 2012). Microtubule staining of migrating glioblastoma cells. Cell polarization and orientation is strongly altered and cells do not maintain stable cell-cell interactions.
- We have revealed that the distribution of N-cadherin-dependent cell-cell contacts influence centrosome and nuclear positioning to define the orientation of the polarity axis (Dupin et al. 2009 & 2011). More recently we have uncovered how adherens junctions were maintained between adjacent migrating cells. We are now focusing on the regulation of N-cadherin dynamics during collective migration.