Cell-cell junction formation: the role of Rap1 and Rap1 guanine nucleotide exchange factors.
Rap proteins are Ras-like small GTP-binding proteins that amongst others are involved in the control of cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion. Several Rap guanine nucleotide exchange factors (RapGEFs) function to activate Rap. These multi-domain proteins, which include C3G, Epacs, PDZ-GEFs, RapGRPs and DOCK4, are regulated by various different stimuli and may function at different levels in junction formation. Downstream of Rap, a number of effector proteins have been implicated in junctional control, most notably the adaptor proteins AF6 and KRIT/CCM1. In this review, we will highlight the latest findings on the Rap signaling network in the control of epithelial and endothelial cell-cell junctions.
Pannekoek
Willem-Jan
WJ
Department of Physiological Chemistry, Centre for Biomedical Genetics and Cancer Genomics Centre, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Kooistra
Matthijs R H
MR
Zwartkruis
Fried J T
FJ
Bos
Johannes L
JL
D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000502:physiology*; D020827:rap1 GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*
D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; C116122:RAPGEF3 protein, human; D020827:rap1 GTP-Binding Proteins