Cell surface N‐glycans influence the level of functional E‐cadherin at the cell–cell border

E‐cadherin is crucial for adhesion of cells to each other and thereby development and maintenance of tissue. While it is has been established that N‐glycans inside the cell impact the level of E‐cadherin at the cell surface of epithelial‐derived cells, it is unclear whether N‐glycans outside the cell control the clustering of E‐cadherin at the cell–cell border. Here, we demonstrate reduction of N‐glycans at the cell surface weakened the recruitment and retention of E‐cadherin at the cell–cell border, and consequently reduced the strength of cell–cell interactions. We conclude that N‐glycans at the cell surface are tightly linked to the placement of E‐cadherin at the cell–cell border and thereby control E‐cadherin mediated cell–cell adhesion.