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Updated: Aug 5, 2025

Adhesion Frequency Assay for In Situ Kinetics Analysis of Cross-Junctional Molecular Interactions at the Cell-Cell Interface
Published on: November 2, 2011
Physicochemical Principles of Adhesion Mechanisms in the Brain
1Department of Neurobiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343 Kraków, Poland.
Abstract:
The brain functions through neuronal circuits and networks that are synaptically connected. This type of connection can exist due to physical forces that interact to stabilize local contacts in the brain. Adhesion is a fundamental physical phenomenon that allows different layers, phases, and tissues to connect. Similarly, synaptic connections are stabilized by specialized adhesion proteins. This review discusses the basic physical and chemical properties of adhesion. Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) such as cadherins, integrins, selectins, and immunoglobulin family of cell adhesion molecules (IgSF) will be discussed, and their role in physiological and pathological brain function. Finally, the role of CAMs at the synapse will be described. In addition, methods for studying adhesion in the brain will be presented.
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