Epithelial cells
-> connected by junction proteins called E-cadherins
-> also have gap junctions where they share signals

Mesenchymal cells
-> more 'isolated'; not joined to other cells

I turned to Han Yin and said:

"You know, you're like an epithelial cell while I'm more like a mesenchymal cell."

"Huh???"


Why? Because you need to be connected to the rest
You need to be with them
You need to share 'signals' with them.
They support you.

For me, I'm a loner
I don't feel the need for the connection
neither do I need to be around other 'cells'
I rely on my own signals.

But we're still all co-existing together in harmony aren't we? Though we serve different functions and have different phenotypic properties, we are still a part of the same tissue and without one group, the other will also cease to exist.

Funnily enough, Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transformations and Mesenchymal-to-Epithelial Transformations do exist.
Perhaps this means that we can learn from one another?

Don't say I didn't listen during the lecture hor! XD



P.S. Happiness is like peeing in your pants. Everyone else can see it but only you can feel its warmth.


*ponders*

Labels: Musings