Dev Cell: Dying cells protect their neighbors to maintain tissue integrity

In order to renew tissues, human tissues continuously eliminate millions of cells without compromising the integrity, morphology and connectivity of the tissues
.

The mechanisms involved in maintaining this integrity are still unknown

Scientists from the Pasteur Institute and the French National Center for Scientific Research today revealed a new process that allows eliminated cells to temporarily protect their neighboring cells from death, thereby maintaining tissue integrity
.

This protection mechanism is crucial, if it is broken, it will cause temporary loss of connection

Developmental Cell Developmental Cell

Human epithelial cells are tissues found in several parts of the body (such as the epidermis and internal mucosa)
.

They are composed of a continuous layer of cells that act as a physical and chemical barrier

Scientists use Drosophila (or vinegar fly) to determine the mechanisms involved in epithelial integrity and the conditions that can affect epithelial connections.
Drosophila is an organism studied in the laboratory, and its epithelial structure is similar to that of humans
.

The research team used protein-sensitive fluorescent markers and found that when a cell dies, the EGFR-ERK pathway-a cell activation signaling pathway known for its involvement in regulating cell survival-is temporarily activated in neighboring cells

Transient ERK activation of cells near squeezed cells

AROUND cell transient ERK activation instantaneous extrusion cells near the vicinity of the extruded cells transient ERK ERK activation activation

Scientists’ research also shows that inhibiting this protective mechanism can have a dramatic effect on epithelial tissue: the elimination of cells becomes random, and neighboring cells may be eliminated at the same time, resulting in repeated loss of connectivity
.

Under normal circumstances, when the EGFR-ERK pathway is not deliberately inhibited, even if a large number of cells are eliminated, the elimination of adjacent cell populations has never been observed in the epithelial tissue

 

By using a new optogenetic tool that can control cell death in time and space and bypass protective mechanisms, scientists have confirmed that when neighboring cells are eliminated at the same time, the integrity of the epithelium will be compromised
.

"It is surprising that epithelial tissue is highly sensitive to the spatial distribution of eliminated cells

The squeezing of three or more cell clusters is sufficient to break the closure of the epithelium

The squeezing of three or more cell clusters is sufficient to break the closure of the epithelium The squeezing of three or more cell clusters is sufficient to break the closure of the epithelium The squeeze of three or more cell clusters is sufficient to break the closure of the epithelium

Scientists’ observations confirm that tissues need to develop mechanisms to prevent neighboring cell populations from being eliminated
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These observations are important because they illustrate the incredible ability of biological tissues to self-organize, a characteristic that allows them to withstand stressful conditions

This process seems to have been maintained during evolution
.

The transient and local protective phase that occurs near each cell death

The transient and local protective phase that occurs near each cell death
.
Such protection is provided by an intracellular ERK instantaneous active drive, ERK was activated in the extrusion adjacent cells, preventing the removal of the cell clusters
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Future research will reveal whether this destruction of cell death coordination mechanism and repeated loss of connectivity in epithelial tissues may be one of the root causes of chronic inflammation, which is a phenomenon that causes various diseases and is currently the main cause of death worldwide One
.

Article reference: Léo Valon, Anđela Davidović, Florence Levillayer, Alexis Villars, Mathilde Chouly, Fabiana Cerqueira-Campos, Romain Levayer.
Robustness of epithelial sealing is an emerging property of local ERK feedback driven by cell elimination .
Developmental Cell , 2021; 56 ( 12): 1700 DOI: 10.
1016/j.
devcel.
2021.
05.
006

Article reference: Léo Valon, Anđela Davidović, Florence Levillayer, Alexis Villars, Mathilde Chouly, Fabiana Cerqueira-Campos, Romain Levayer.
Robustness of epithelial sealing is an emerging property of local ERK feedback driven by cell elimination Robustness of epithelial sealing is an emerging property of local ERK feedback driven by cell elimination .
  Developmental Cell Developmental Cell , 2021; 56 (12): 1700 DOI: 10.
1016/j.
devcel.
2021.
05.
006 10.
1016/j.
devcel.
2021.
05.
006 10.
1016/j.
devcel.
2021.
05.
006

 

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