Regulating cell-cell junctions from A to Z

Abstract

Epithelial sheets often present a "cobblestone" appearance, but the mechanisms underlying the dynamics of this arrangement are unclear. In this issue, Choi et al. (2016. J. Cell Biol. http://dx.doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201506115) show that afadin and ZO-1 regulate tension and maintain zonula adherens architecture in response to changes in contractility.