Primates

adherens junctions — within the apical junctional region of the Drosophila embryonic epithelium; this may provide mechanical stability during the junctional remodeling that accompanies tissue morphogenesis. Too much or too little ERM-mediated crosslinking impairs the migration of mesendoderm cells during zebrafish gastrulation and homing lymphocytes in mice. This is due in part to the cells’ inability to form protrusive processes that steer their migration. A better understanding of how ERM activation contributes to migration in these normal contexts will likely help to explain the association between excess ERM activation and tumor metastasis.