title: ADAMs and cell fusion.
abstract: Members of the ADAM family (membrane proteins with a disintegrin and metalloprotease domain) have been implicated in several cell-interactive events, including cell-cell fusion. Recent evidence implicates three ADAMs, fertilin-alpha, fertilin-beta, and meltrin-alpha, in sperm-egg fusion and myoblast fusion. In light of the large number and wide tissue distribution of the ADAMs, they may also participate in other cell-cell fusion events. As ADAMs are also found in both vertebrates and invertebrates, some features of cell-cell fusion reactions may be conserved throughout the animal kingdom.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, PO Box 439, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA. jw7g@virginia.edu
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Huovila
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002459:Cell Fusion; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions
chemical_list: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases