A. Yap

Cortical ductility governs cell-cell adhesion mechanics

This study introduces a new method to measure energy dissipation during cell-cell junction rupture and shows that cortical tension and shape relaxation time determine whether junctions behave ductile or brittle.

Multiscale mechanisms driving tissue rupture by invading cells

This study identifies a mechanism where invading cells and tissue barriers coordinate to rupture barriers through intercellular adhesions and subcellular contractility, challenging existing models of collective invasion.

Enhanced RhoA signaling stabilizes E-cadherin in migrating epithelial monolayers.

The paper shows that RhoA signaling at adherens junctions stabilizes E-cadherin during epithelial migration by increasing junctional contractility and mechanical tension.

A unified view of neighbour cell engagement during apoptotic cell extrusion.

This study identifies RhoA activation via a Myosin VI-dependent mechanotransduction pathway as the mechanism by which apoptotic cells engage neighboring cells for extrusion, with S1P providing priming.

Probing compression versus stretch activated recruitment of cortical actin and apical junction proteins using mechanical stimulations of suspended doublets.

This study uses mechanical stimulation of suspended cell doublets to investigate how cortical actin and junction proteins respond to compression versus stretch at cell-cell contacts.