Mechanosensitive recruitment of Vinculin maintains junction integrity and barrier function at epithelial tricellular junctions.

Apical cell-cell junctions, including adherens junctions and tight junctions, adhere epithelial cells to one another and regulate selective permeability at both bicellular junctions and tricellular junctions (TCJs). Although several specialized proteins are known to localize at TCJs, it remains unclear how actomyosin-mediated tension transmission at TCJs contributes to the maintenance of junction integrity and barrier function at these sites. Here, utilizing the embryonic epithelium of gastrula-stage Xenopus laevis embryos, we define a mechanism by which the mechanosensitive protein Vinculin helps anchor the actomyosin network at TCJs, thus maintaining TCJ integrity and barrier function.

p115RhoGEF activates RhoA to support tight junction maintenance and remodeling.

In vertebrates, epithelial cell-cell junctions must rapidly remodel to maintain barrier function as cells undergo dynamic shape-change events. Consequently, localized leaks sometimes arise within the tight junction (TJ) barrier, which are repaired by short-lived activations of RhoA, called "Rho flares." However, how RhoA is activated at leak sites remains unknown.

SNAP- and Halo-tagging and dye introduction protocol for live microscopy in embryos.

Traditional fluorescent proteins exhibit limitations in brightness and photostability that hinder optimal characterization of the dynamic cellular behavior of proteins of interest. SNAP- and Halo-tagging are alternatives to traditional fluorescent protein tagging utilizing bright, stable chemical dyes, which may improve signal-to-noise ratio. However, there has been limited use of this approach in developing organisms.

Implementing Falls Prevention in Primary Care: Barriers and Facilitators.

Purpose: Limited information is available concerning primary care providers' encountered barriers and facilitators when implementing falls prevention and providing interventions in a real-life setting. This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators when i) implementing a falls risk assessment strategy at GP practices and among community nurses and ii) providing evidence-based falls prevention interventions in a real-life setting to independently living, frail older people.

Methods: A researcher's journal was maintained during the implementation of a falls risk assessment strategy, which entailed notes from informal conversations with GPs, practice nurses and community nurses.

Closing the gap: Tricellulin/α-catenin interaction maintains epithelial integrity at vertices.

Tricellular junctions play a critical role in regulating epithelial barrier function. In this issue, Cho et al. (2022.