Structural biology of cadherins in the nervous system

The complex functions of the nervous system reflect the coordinated action of intricately connected networks of neurons. Recent work has combined to suggest the importance of the cadherin family of cell adhesion molecules in specifying these connections at neural synapses. High-resolution structural studies and site-directed mutagenesis have revealed some of the molecular mechanisms by which cadherins function in cell-to-cell adhesion, and suggest new avenues for investigation.