title: Nectins and nectin-like molecules: roles in cell adhesion, polarization, movement, and proliferation.
abstract: Nectins and nectin-like molecules (Necls) are immunoglobulin-like cell adhesion molecules that constitute families containing four and five members, respectively. All members, except for Necl-5, trans-interact homophilically. Furthermore, all members, including Necl-5, trans-interact heterophilically with their respective specific partners among the members. Necl-5 regulates cell movement and proliferation cooperatively with integrin alphavbeta3 and growth factor receptors. Nectins function as cell-cell adhesion molecules at a variety of cell-cell junctions, including adherens junctions, and regulate the initial step of cell-cell junction formation. Nectins and integrin alphavbeta3 are further involved in the cross-talk between cell-matrix and cell-cell junctions. Thus, both nectin and Necl family members play important roles in fundamental cellular functions, including cell adhesion, polarization, movement, and proliferation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine/Faculty of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisakazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ogita
authors.forename: Yoshimi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000502:physiology*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D006801:Humans; D000075983:Nectins
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D000075983:Nectins