Figure 6. Cadherins mechanosense and transmit intracellular force.

Epithelial cells maintain tight cell-cell contacts in part through the interaction of cadherin homodimers (red). In the absence of intracellular tension (left), cadherin interacts loosely and transiently with actin fibers through a β-catenin (pale green), α-catenin (purple) complex. In response to force (right), α-catenin undergoes a conformational change that allows for tight actin binding. In addition, vinculin (yellow) is recruited to α-catenin and can also bind to actin. In this way, intracellular force is transmitted between cells in an actin-myosin (blue) dependent manner.