Figure 1.

E-cadherin is a mechanosensor. (A) Continuous driving field modulation at 0.3 Hz for 60 s (2.4 Pa stress) and representative time course of the displacement of two E-cadherin– and poly-l-lysine (PL)–coated beads. (B) The force-induced stiffening of Fc–E-cadherin–coated beads relative to unperturbed bead–cell contacts in the absence (E-cad) or presence of latrunculin B (Lat B), cytochalasin D (Cyto D), or blebbistatin. (C) Fc–E-cadherin–coated beads versus beads coated with monoclonal E-cadherin antibody. (D) Fc–E-cadherin–coated beads in the absence or presence of 3 mM EGTA added just before MTC or blocking anti–E-cadherin antibody versus beads coated with poly-l-lysine. (E) The percent change in E-cadherin junction stiffness relative to unperturbed cells as a function of applied shear stress is shown. After 20 min of bead–cell contact, the beads were subjected to a modulated 0.3-Hz magnetic field for 60 s. The elastic shear modulus was determined at 50 s as a function of the amplitude of the applied shear stress. (B–E) Each data point represents >300 beads. Error bars represent SD.