Vinculin localization and actin stress fibers differ in thyroid cells organized as monolayers or follicles

Abstract

In epithelial cells interactions between the actin cytoskeleton and cell‐cell junctions regulate paracellular permeability and partcipate in morphogenesis. We have studied the relationship between supracellular morphology and actin‐junction interactions using primary cultures of porcine thyroid cells grown either as three‐dimensional follicles or as open monolayers. Regardless of morphology, thyroid cells assembled occluding and adhesive junctions containing ZO‐1 and E‐cadherin, respectively, and showed F‐actin staining in apical microvilli and a perijunctional ring. In monolayers, actin stress fibers were also observed in the apical and basal poles of cells, where they terminated in the vin..