Vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin: only an intercellular glue?
Data collected during the past years indicate that AJ- and more specifically VE-cadherin play an important role in endothelial cell biology. VE-cadherin may transfer information intracellularly through interaction with a complex network of cytoskeletal and signaling molecules. Expression of VE-cadherin is required for the control of vascular permeability and vascular integrity. In addition, the molecule may exert a morphogenetic role modulating the capacity of endothelial cells to organize into tubular-like structures. VE-cadherin presents many structural and sequence homologies to the other members of the family and apparently binds to the same intracellular molecules. However, remarkably, VE-cadherin may transfer specific signals to endothelial cells to modulate their functional reactivity.
Dejana
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Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Via Eritrea 62, Milan, Italy. dejana@irfmn.mnegri.it
Bazzoni
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G
Lampugnani
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MG
D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D015398:Signal Transduction; D000099152:Cadherin 5
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015820:Cadherins; D000099152:Cadherin 5