Cadherin proteins
Cadherin proteins are Ca2+ ion dependant transmembrane proteins found on the plasma membrane that primarily mediate cell-cell attachment; they are required to link the cytoskeleton of one cell to that of it's neighbour[1].
The cadherin superfamily have several copies of extracellular domains; the classical E-cadherin has 5 copies whereas some non-classical cadherins have more than 30[2]. These extracellular domains also have an N-terminal tips which bind homophillically to other cadherin molecules from adjacent cells. Calcium ions are needed to keep the cadherin structures rigid (forming a slightly curved rod-like structure) they bind near each hinge between domains. Each individual cadherin-cadherin bond is relatively weak binding with low affinity; it is only the strength in numbers that form the strong attachments[3]. Cadherins are essential for allowing cells of similar type to stick together as they are responsible for highly selective recognition; they are therefore fundamental in cellular differentiation and organisation of tissues during development[4].
References
- ↑ Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K., Walter, P. (2015). Molecular Biology of the cell (Sixth ed.). Garland Science.
- ↑ Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K., Walter, P. (2015). Molecular Biology of the cell (Sixth ed.). Garland Science.
- ↑ Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K., Walter, P. (2015). Molecular Biology of the cell (Sixth ed.). Garland Science.
- ↑ Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K., Walter, P. (2015). Molecular Biology of the cell (Sixth ed.). Garland Science.