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Updated: May 8, 2026
13:22
Adhesion Frequency Assay for In Situ Kinetics Analysis of Cross-Junctional Molecular Interactions at the Cell-Cell Interface
Published on: November 2, 2011
Adhesion molecule signalling: not always a sticky business
Ugo Cavallaro1, Elisabetta Dejana
1Cell Adhesion and Signalling, FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology (IFOM), Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy. ugo.cavallaro@ifom-ieo-campus.it
Nature Reviews. Molecular Cell Biology
|February 25, 2011
Summary
Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) can signal even without cell adhesion. This discovery expands the known biological roles of CAMs, revealing signaling capabilities independent of their adhesive function.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) traditionally signal through adhesive interactions.
- Physiological and pathological conditions can impair CAM adhesive properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the signaling capabilities of CAMs independent of their adhesive functions.
- To explore the biological implications of adhesion-deficient CAM signaling.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of CAMs with reduced or abrogated adhesive properties (e.g., via cleavage, mutation, shedding).
- Examination of signaling through cytoplasmic domains and altered extracellular domains of CAMs.
Main Results:
- 'Adhesion deficient' CAMs retain signaling activity.
- Signaling occurs through cytoplasmic domains and/or mutated/truncated extracellular domains.
- CAMs activate signal transduction cascades without cell adhesion.
Conclusions:
- CAM signaling is not solely dependent on cell adhesion.
- Adhesion-independent signaling broadens the known biological activities of CAMs.
- This finding has implications for understanding various physiological and pathological processes.
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