Cell Polarity Mechanisms in Epithelial Systems
Summary
Epithelial cells establish and maintain an apical–basal axis that underpins tissue organisation, directional transport and barrier function across organs. This polarity arises through coordinated assembly of specialised membrane domains separated by tight junctions, which demarcate the apical surface facing the lumen from the basolateral surface in contact with underlying tissues. Core polarity determinants, including the Par, Crumbs and Scribble complexes, interact with the actin and microtubule cytoskeleton to direct vesicular trafficking and membrane sorting. Small GTPases such as Cdc42 and RhoA regulate junction assembly and cytoskeletal dynamics, while lipid microdomains (rafts) further refine the segregation of apical cargo. Intracellular sorting at the trans-Golgi network and endosomal system ensures that proteins and lipids reach their correct domain, preserving epithelial integrity. Disruption of these mechanisms underlies developmental defects, chronic inflammatory diseases and carcinoma progression, highlighting the clinical significance of understanding epithelial polarity.
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Cell Polarity Mechanisms in Epithelial Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in cell polarity mechanisms in epithelial systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Apical–basal polarity: Organisation of epithelial cells into distinct apical and basolateral membrane domains along a vertical axis.
Tight junctions: Multiprotein complexes at the apical region of lateral membranes that seal adjacent cells and prevent free diffusion of membrane proteins.
Par complex: A conserved assembly of Par3, Par6 and aPKC that initiates and maintains cell polarity through interactions with the cytoskeleton.
Crumbs complex: A group of transmembrane proteins and adaptors that stabilise apical membrane identity and cooperate with the Par complex.
Lipid raft: Cholesterol- and sphingolipid-enriched membrane microdomain that sorts and concentrates specific proteins for trafficking.
Trans-Golgi network: A subcompartment of the Golgi apparatus where proteins are sorted into vesicles destined for different cellular locations.
References
- Molecular mechanisms of polarized transport to the apical plasma membrane. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology (2024).
- Sorting and Intracellular Trafficking of a Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored Protein and Two Hybrid Transmembrane Proteins with the Same Ectodomain in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney Epithelial Cells (∗). Journal of Biological Chemistry (1995).
- α-Kinase 1, a New Component in Apical ProteinTransport*. Journal of Biological Chemistry (2005).
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