title: Con-nectin axons and dendrites.
abstract: Unlike adherens junctions, synapses are asymmetric connections, usually between axons and dendrites, that rely on various cell adhesion molecules for structural stability and function. Two cell types of adhesion molecules found at adherens junctions, cadherins and nectins, are thought to mediate homophilic interaction between neighboring cells. In this issue, Togashi et al. (see p. 141) demonstrate that the differential localization of two heterophilic interacting nectins mediates the selective attraction of axons and dendrites in cooperation with cadherins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. gerard.beaudoin@ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Gerard M J
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Beaudoin
mesh_terms: D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000502:physiology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000502:physiology*; D003712:Dendrites / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D000075983:Nectins
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D000075983:Nectins