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Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Bead Aggregation Assays for the Characterization of Putative Cell Adhesion Molecules
Published on: October 17, 2014
Plakophilins: multifunctional scaffolds for adhesion and signaling
Amanda E Bass-Zubek1, Lisa M Godsel, Mario Delmar
1Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
Abstract:
Armadillo family proteins known as plakophilins have been characterized as structural components of desmosomes that stabilize and strengthen adhesion by enhancing attachments with the intermediate filament cytoskeleton. However, plakophilins and their close relatives are emerging as versatile scaffolds for multiple signaling and metabolic processes that not only facilitate junction dynamics but also more globally regulate diverse cellular activities. While perturbation of plakophilin functions contribute to inherited diseases and cancer pathogenesis, the functional significance of the multiple PKP isoforms and the mechanisms by which their behaviors are regulated remain to be elucidated.
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