Biologists from the University of Münster have made significant strides in understanding the evolution of cell adhesion mechanisms. Led by Prof. Carsten Grashoff and doctoral student Srishti Rangarajan, the research reveals that the talin protein plays a central role in how cells adhere to surfaces. This discovery, published on December 14, 2025, in the journal Nature Communications, highlights the evolutionary significance of cell adhesion across different life forms.
Cell adhesion is critical for the development of complex tissues and organs in animals, including humans. This process is largely facilitated by cell surface receptors known as integrins. Interestingly, many single-celled organisms lack these integrin receptors, raising questions about how this form of adhesion evolved. The researchers identified talin as a key player in this process, demonstrating its presence in both eukaryotic single-celled organisms and all animal cells.
Through comparative studies involving amoebae and animal cells, the team found that talin transmits mechanical forces during cell adhesion, a function that is consistent across various species. Each talin molecule exerts a force of only a few trillionths of a newton, yet this mechanical role is crucial for effective cell adhesion. Although talin has additional functions in human cells that have not been observed in amoebae, its essential mechanical role likely predates the emergence of the first animals.
Rangarajan noted, “The integrin-mediated adhesion of animal cells is described in all modern textbooks on cell biology. However, it appears to be merely a specialization of a much older cell adhesion mechanism that originated in single-celled organisms and is mediated by talin.” This statement underscores the importance of talin in understanding the evolutionary history of cell adhesion.
The research employed a variety of advanced techniques, including molecular genetics, high-resolution fluorescence microscopy, and molecular force microscopy measurements. These methods allowed the team to elucidate the intricate mechanisms behind cell adhesion, offering insights that could impact future studies in cell biology and evolutionary science.
This study not only sheds light on the fundamental processes of cell biology but also opens new avenues for exploring the evolutionary links between single-celled and multicellular organisms. Understanding these mechanisms could have far-reaching implications in fields such as medicine and biotechnology.
For further details, refer to the study by Srishti Rangarajan et al titled “Talin force coupling underlies eukaryotic cell-substrate adhesion,” published in Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-67354-8.
