Both embryonic development and cancer cell invasion require coordinated directional collective cell migration (DCCM). Two key aspects of this process are force transmission of traction forces from collectively migrating cells to the extracellular matrix (ECM) and mechanosignalling at cell–cell contact sites. P-cadherin promotes DCCM through activation of the β-Pix–CDC42 polarity pathway, which gauges intercellular tension and stress. It is poorly understood how forces to the ECM connect to cadherin-mediated mechanical cell–cell signalling. Now, Cécile Gauthier-Rouviére and colleagues (Le Borgne-Rochet et al., 2019) address the role of P-cadherin in DCCM and find that the collagen-remodelling proteoglycan decorin is expressed and secreted upon expression of P-cadherin in mesenchymal cells such as myoblasts, which align collagen fibres in the direction of migration in a decorin-dependent manner. This alignment is also observed in breast cancer cells at invasion sites when both factors are expressed. Specifically, decorin participates in the P-cadherin-mediated increase in traction force strength, force anisotropy and β1 integrin and β-Pix–CDC42 activation. This work describes a new mechanism that drives DCCM through ECM remodelling and collagen fibre alignment based on cadherin-mediated mechanical coupling signalling.
Decorin connects ECM remodelling to collective cell migration
- Split-screen
- Views Icon Views
-
Article Versions Icon
Versions
- Version of Record 08 November 2019
- Share Icon Share
-
Tools Icon
Tools
- Search Site
Decorin connects ECM remodelling to collective cell migration. J Cell Sci 1 November 2019; 132 (21): e2104. doi:
Download citation file:
Advertisement
Cited by
JCS Journal Meeting 2023: Imaging Cell Dynamics

Our 2023 Journal Meeting on ‘Imaging Cell Dynamics’ will be held from 14-17 May 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal. We have a limited number of spaces left so sign up now! Registration deadline: 31 March.
Call for papers: Cell and Tissue Polarity
-PolarityCFP.png?versionId=4491)
We are welcoming submissions for our next special issue, which will focus on ‘Cell and tissue polarity’ and will be guest edited by David Bryant. Submission deadline: 15 July.
Webinar: Increasing the visibility and impact of your research
-HUBSwebinar.jpg?versionId=4491)
Would you like to increase the visibility and impact of your research and raise your profile internationally? If so, register for the very practical webinar we are running in association with HUBS on 23 February 2023.
Cell scientist to watch: Gautam Dey

We interviewed Gautam Dey, who became a group leader at EMBL in Heidelberg, Germany, in 2021. His lab investigates the fundamental organisational principles and evolutionary dynamics of the nuclear compartment across eukaryotes.
Mechanisms of eukaryotic transcription termination at a glance

Check out our latest Cell Science at a Glance article and accompanying poster for an overview of the current understanding about the mechanisms of transcription termination by the three eukaryotic RNAPs.