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Cadherins as modulators of cellular phenotype.
Margaret J Wheelock1, Keith R Johnson
1Department of Oral Biology, College of Dentistry and Eppley Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-7696, USA. mwheelock@unmc.edu
Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology
|October 23, 2003
Summary
Cadherins are key proteins for cell-cell adhesion and development. Dysfunctional cadherins are linked to cancer, highlighting their critical role in cellular signaling and behavior.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Cadherins are transmembrane glycoproteins mediating calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion.
- They are essential components of various cellular junctions, including adherens, desmosomes, and synaptic junctions.
- Cadherin function is vital for normal development, and their alterations are implicated in tumorigenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the structure and function of cadherins.
- To explore the role of cadherins in cellular junctions and development.
- To discuss the implications of cadherin alterations in tumorigenesis and cellular signaling.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of cadherin structure, function, and interactions.
- Analysis of cadherin involvement in cellular junctions and signaling pathways.
- Examination of the regulatory role of proteins like catenins in cadherin function.
Main Results:
- Cadherins possess conserved cadherin repeats in their extracellular domain.
- Proteins like catenins regulate cadherin interaction strength by linking to the cytoskeleton.
- Cadherins integrate signals from cell-cell, cell-matrix, and growth factor pathways to determine cellular phenotype.
Conclusions:
- Cadherins are crucial for cell adhesion, development, and maintaining tissue integrity.
- Aberrant cadherin function contributes to disease, particularly cancer.
- Cadherins play a central role in complex signaling networks that govern cellular behavior.