Genetic analysis of cadherin function in animal morphogenesis.
Cadherins are a superfamily of Ca(2+)-dependent adhesion molecules found in metazoans. Several classes of cadherins have been defined from which two - classic cadherins and Fat-like cadherins - have been studied by genetic approaches. Recent in vivo studies in Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila show that cadherins play an active role in a number of distinct morphogenetic processes. Classic cadherins function in epithelial polarization, epithelial sheet or tube fusion, cell migration, cell sorting, and axonal patterning. Fat-like cadherins are required for epithelial morphogenesis, proliferation control, and epithelial planar polarization.
Tepass
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Department of Zoology University of Toronto 25 Harbord Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G5, Canada. utepass@zoo.utoronto.ca.
D000828:Animal Population Groups / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D002816:Chordata, Nonvertebrate / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D013045:Species Specificity; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D015820:Cadherins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C502403:FAT1 protein, human; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C094449:ds protein, Drosophila; D002118:Calcium