Figure 3.

Model of Trio-controlled endothelial adherens junction stabilization. (A) Cell-cell contact formation is driven by protruding lamellipodia of adjacent cells. These lamellipodia are initiated by activation of Rac1, which occurs independent of Trio. (B) Cadherin molecules that were previously diffusing in the plasma membrane engage in homophilic interactions and form clusters. VE-cadherin ligation triggers recruitment of Trio to the cell-cell junction. (C) Local Trio-mediated Rac1 activation rearranges the junctional actin cytoskeleton, leading to a transition from a nascent to stable cell-cell junction.