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Related Concept Videos

Cell Adhesion Molecules - Types and Functions01:20

Cell Adhesion Molecules - Types and Functions

Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) are pivotal to multicellularity and the coordinated functioning of tissues and organ systems. They enable physical interactions between cells and provide mechanical strength to tissues. They also function as receptors for signal transmission across the plasma membrane. The CAMs are broadly classified into four families - integrins, cadherins, selectins, and immunoglobulin-like CAMs (IgCAMs).
CAM Families
The Integrin family of proteins is primarily  involved in a...
Cell Adhesion Molecules - Types and Functions01:20

Cell Adhesion Molecules - Types and Functions

Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) are pivotal to multicellularity and the coordinated functioning of tissues and organ systems. They enable physical interactions between cells and provide mechanical strength to tissues. They also function as receptors for signal transmission across the plasma membrane. The CAMs are broadly classified into four families - integrins, cadherins, selectins, and immunoglobulin-like CAMs (IgCAMs).
CAM Families
The Integrin family of proteins is primarily  involved in a...
Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions01:17

Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions

Integrins act both as extracellular input receivers and as intracellular processing activators. As their name suggests, integrins are entirely integrated into the membrane structure. Their hydrophobic membrane-spanning regions interact with the phospholipid bilayer's hydrophobic region. These membrane receptors provide extracellular attachment sites for effectors like hormones and growth factors. They activate intracellular response cascades when their effectors are bound and active.
Some...
Cell Adhesion in Plants01:14

Cell Adhesion in Plants

Plants have rigid cell walls that are made up of cell wall polysaccharides that mediate cell-cell adhesion. The primary cell walls of plants consist of two independent and interacting polysaccharide networks: a pectin matrix that embeds the second network comprising cellulose and hemicelluloses.
Pectins are complex heteropolymers mainly composed of negatively-charged α-D-glucopyranosyl uronic acid and some neutral glycosyl residues such as α-L-rhamnopyranose, α-L-arabinofuranose, and...
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...
Overview of Cell-Matrix Interactions01:24

Overview of Cell-Matrix Interactions

The extracellular matrix or ECM holds cells together to form a tissue and allows the cells within the tissue to communicate. ECM comprises proteins such as fibronectin, collagen, laminin, etc. The most abundant protein in this space is collagen. Collagen fibers are interwoven with carbohydrate-containing protein molecules called proteoglycans. ECM allows cell migration and provides a structural scaffold at cell adhesion that anchors the cell when the extracellular matrix proteins interact with...

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Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Bead Aggregation Assays for the Characterization of Putative Cell Adhesion Molecules
08:15

Bead Aggregation Assays for the Characterization of Putative Cell Adhesion Molecules

Published on: October 17, 2014

Diverse evolutionary paths to cell adhesion.

Monika Abedin1, Nicole King

  • 1Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Division of Genetics, Genomics, and Development, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720-3200, USA.

Trends in Cell Biology
|September 7, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Multicellularity evolved independently across lineages, requiring stable cell adhesion mechanisms. Studying unicellular ancestors reveals key molecular innovations driving this transition in diverse organisms.

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Last Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Bead Aggregation Assays for the Characterization of Putative Cell Adhesion Molecules
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Published on: October 17, 2014

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Cell biology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Multicellular organisms exhibit diverse forms, arising from independent evolutionary origins of multicellularity.
  • Stable cell-cell adhesion is a fundamental prerequisite for the transition from unicellular to multicellular life.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the evolutionary foundations of cell adhesion mechanisms.
  • To understand the molecular changes underlying the independent evolution of multicellularity.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative genomics and phylogenetics to reconstruct protein evolution.
  • Analysis of cell junction proteins in animals and their unicellular relatives.
  • Comparative studies of volvocine algae (e.g., Volvox) and Dictyostelium.

Main Results:

  • The evolution of cell adhesion involved both co-option of existing genes and novel gene innovation.
  • Specific molecular alterations accompanied multicellularity in volvocine algae.
  • Similarities and differences in unicellular ancestors influenced adhesive mechanism evolution.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding the unicellular origins of cell adhesion provides insights into the evolution of multicellular development.
  • Comparative approaches illuminate the basic cell biology driving the emergence of multicellularity.