IRIC - Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer

Published on June 5, 2026

The team led by Gregory Emery, director of IRIC’s Vesicular Trafficking and Cell Signalling Research Unit, has identified a dynamic structure that forms a network on the surface of epithelial cells. The work, led by PhD students Claire Baudouin and Léa Marpeaux, is the subject of a publication in the Journal of Cell Science. The article made the journal’s cover and is accompanied by an interview with the two students.

A contractile network composed of cables and junctions

Using microscopy techniques, the team identified and characterized a network of actin filaments deployed on the surface of skin epithelial cells. This network comprises star-shaped junctions and long cables that connect dozens of cells to one another. This structure, referred to as supracellular, has the ability to contract and generate tension on the cell surface. It is also dynamic and can reorganize itself when cells migrate collectively, for example.

Long-distance transmission

The team’s findings suggest that the identified actin network plays a role in transmitting mechanical forces over long distances—up to 14 cells away. The discovery sheds new light on the biomechanical properties of epithelial tissues such as the skin.

“In fact, these supracellular actin structures could play a key role in the barrier function provided by these tissues,” notes Gregory Emery, also Professor in the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology of UdeM. “Studying them could improve our understanding of biological processes such as morphogenesis (i.e., the formation of tissues and organs) or wound healing. They also offer a new perspective for exploring certain pathologies affecting epithelia.”

Cited study

Marpeaux L, Baudouin C, Alberici Delsin LE, Plutoni C, Emery G. A supracellular actin network transmits forces over long distances at the apical surface of squamous carcinoma cells. J Cell Sci. 2026 Feb 15;139(4):jcs264424. doi: 10.1242/jcs.264424