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Updated: May 31, 2026

Bead Aggregation Assays for the Characterization of Putative Cell Adhesion Molecules
Published on: October 17, 2014
Evolution: structural and functional diversity of cadherin at the adherens junction
Hiroki Oda1, Masatoshi Takeichi
1JT Biohistory Research Hall, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1125, Japan. hoda@brh.co.jp
Abstract:
Adhesion between cells is essential to the evolution of multicellularity. Indeed, morphogenesis in animals requires firm but flexible intercellular adhesions that are mediated by subcellular structures like the adherens junction (AJ). A key component of AJs is classical cadherins, a group of transmembrane proteins that maintain dynamic cell-cell associations in many animal species. An evolutionary reconstruction of cadherin structure and function provides a comprehensive framework with which to appreciate the diversity of morphogenetic mechanisms in animals.
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