title: The role of cell adhesion molecules for navigating axons: density matters.
abstract: Cell adhesion molecules of the immunoglobulin-super-family (IgSF-CAMs) do not only have a physical effect, mediating merely attachment between cell surfaces. For navigating axons, IgSF-CAMs also exert an instructive impact: Upon activation, they elicit intracellular signalling cascades in the tip of the axon, the growth cone, which regulate in a spatio-temporally concerted action both speed and direction of the axon. Density and distribution of IgSF-CAMs in the growth cone plasma membrane play important roles for the activation of IgSF-CAMs, their clustering, and the adhesive forces they acquire, as well as for the local restriction and effective propagation of their intracellular signals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Neurobiology, Centre for Organismal Studies-COS, University of Heidelberg, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany. G.E.Pollerberg@cos.uni-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Pollerberg
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thelen
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Theiss
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Hochlehnert
mesh_terms: D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D055550:Protein Stability; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D007136:Immunoglobulins