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Related Concept Videos

Cadherins in Tissue Organization01:19

Cadherins in Tissue Organization

The cadherins are a superfamily of cell adhesion molecules comprising over 180 variants, with specific tissues expressing a particular combination of cadherin types. Cadherins generally exhibit homophilic binding; i.e., cadherins on one cell bind to cadherins of the same or closely related type on another cell. Thus, cells of the same type have a specific affinity to bind to each other and sort themselves into clusters to form tissues.
Cell Sorting During Development
Cell sorting plays an...
Structure of Cadherins01:25

Structure of Cadherins

The cadherins were one of the first cell adhesion molecules discovered; the term “cadherins”   is based on their calcium-dependent adhering properties. The first cadherins discovered on the epithelial, neuronal, and placental cells were named E-cadherin, P-cadherin, and N-cadherin, respectively. These classical cadherins share sequence and structural similarities. Other cadherins, including those involved in cell signaling, are grouped into non-classical cadherins. This diversity of cadherins...
Catenins01:23

Catenins

Catenins are characterized by multiple binding domains and dynamic structures that allow them to function as linker proteins in cell junction complexes. All catenins, except α-catenin, contain a characteristic protein sequence called the armadillo repeat and are therefore also called armadillo proteins.
Catenins in Cell Junctions
Catenins bind to cell adhesion molecules such as cadherins and link them to different cytoskeletal proteins depending on the type of cell junction. At the adherens...
Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules01:31

Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules

Immunoglobulin-like cell adhesion molecules or Ig-CAMs are a versatile group of cell surface glycoproteins belonging to the immunoglobulin protein superfamily. Ig-CAMs possess the characteristic immunoglobulin protein domains and other domains such as the fibronectin type III domain. The Ig domains are glycosylated to varying degrees in different Ig-CAMs.
Ig-CAMs exhibit either homophilic binding (to other Ig-CAMs) or heterophilic binding (to other ligands such as integrins). While most Ig-CAMs...
Adherens Junctions01:24

Adherens Junctions

Strong contact points between adjacent cells anchor them to each other, forming tissues. Such anchoring junctions are of two types –  adherens junctions and desmosomes. Adherens junctions are abundant in tissues such as  epithelium and endothelium, forming a continuous zone of adhesion called the adhesion belt. In other tissues, such as  heart muscle, they appear as clusters, linking the cells to produce coordinated heart muscle contraction.
Adherens Junctions are Dynamic
The endothelial cells...
Notch Signaling Pathway03:14

Notch Signaling Pathway

The Notch signaling pathway is a major intracellular signaling pathway that is highly conserved over a broad spectrum of metazoan species. It stands unique from other intracellular signaling mechanisms in animals because notch protein itself acts as the receptor as well as the primary signaling molecule.
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not until 1985...

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Bead Aggregation Assays for the Characterization of Putative Cell Adhesion Molecules
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Cadherins in neuronal morphogenesis and function.

Sachihiro C Suzuki1, Masatoshi Takeichi

  • 1RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, 2-2-3 Minatojima-Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan. scsuzuki@cdb.riken.jp

Development, Growth & Differentiation
|April 24, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Classic cadherins and catenins are crucial for nervous system development and function. This adhesion system regulates brain morphogenesis, neuronal wiring, and synaptic plasticity in both vertebrates and invertebrates.

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Classic cadherins are calcium-dependent, homophilic cell-cell adhesion molecules.
  • The cadherin/catenin system anchors to the actin cytoskeleton, mediating cell adhesion.
  • This system is vital for the development and function of nervous systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the multifaceted roles of the cadherin/catenin adhesion system in nervous system development and function.
  • To highlight the involvement of cadherins in brain morphogenesis, neuronal cell migration, and neurite extension.
  • To explore the significance of cadherins in neuronal wiring, synaptogenesis, and synaptic plasticity.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on cadherin/catenin function in the nervous system.
  • Analysis of studies detailing cadherin involvement in developmental processes.
  • Examination of research on cadherins at synaptic sites and their role in plasticity.

Main Results:

  • Cadherins are essential for neuroepithelium formation, maintenance, neurite extension, and neuronal migration in vertebrates.
  • Cadherin-mediated interactions are critical for neuronal wiring in invertebrates.
  • The cadherin/catenin system stabilizes excitatory synapses, facilitates synaptic molecule assembly, and influences synaptic plasticity.

Conclusions:

  • The cadherin/catenin system is a fundamental regulator of nervous system architecture and function across species.
  • Individual cadherin subtypes exhibit distinct roles in modulating synaptic activity.
  • Further research into specific cadherin subtypes can elucidate precise mechanisms of synaptic regulation.