Northwestern Medicine researchers discovered a novel process in epithelial tissues that mitigates cell crowding without sacrificing cell integrity. This new mechanism, revealed in a study published in Nature Communications, involves circular structures containing the protein actin, which aid in macropinocytosis—allowing cells to absorb nutrients. This research highlights the importance of maintaining tissue health amidst environmental stressors, as excessive crowding can lead to cell extrusion, a harmful phenomenon where cells are forcibly expelled to maintain balance. Dr. Brian Mitchell praised the contributions of postdoc Enzo Bresteau for his driving role in the research.
This is a new mechanism for dealing with tissue crowding that doesn't involve cell loss, which is destructive and costly to the tissue.
I would like to highlight the significant contributions to this study from Dr. Bresteau, whose creativity and perseverance drove this work.
Epithelial tissue crowding can result in cell extrusion, an irreversible process in which the tissue gets rid of cells to help maintain proper balance.
Mitchell's team discovered that the actin circular structures play a key role in macropinocytosis, allowing cells to engulf nutrients for survival.
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