Cellular-scale diagram of the epithelial monolayer. Top: profile view of the monolayer. Cells are linked to one another via specialized junctions. Bottom: zoomed-in view of an adherens junctions linking the F-actin cytoskeleton of neighbouring cells. The ectodomain of E-cadherin links cells to one another, whereas its intracellular domain binds to the F-actin cytoskeleton via beta- and alpha-catenin. Myosin motor proteins bind F-actin to generate a cellular surface tension that results in a pre-tension in the monolayer.
