title: Molecular components of the adherens junction.
abstract: Adherens junctions serve to couple individual cells into various arrangements required for tissue structure and function. The central structural components of adherens junctions are transmembrane adhesion receptors, and their associated actin-binding/regulatory proteins. The molecular machineries that organize these adhesion receptor complexes into higher order junction structures, and the functional consequences of this junctional organization will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Cologne, LFI, 05, Room 59, Joseph Stelzmannstrasse 9, D-50931 Cologne, Germany. carien.niessen@uni-koeln.de
authors.forename: Carien M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Niessen
authors.forename: Cara J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Gottardi
mesh_terms: D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000502:physiology; D051177:Catenins / Q000502:physiology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000502:physiology; D016764:Cell Polarity; D006801:Humans; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008954:Models, Biological; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D000075983:Nectins; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D051177:Catenins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D000075983:Nectins; C108835:afadin