Cadherin signaling: keeping cells in touch.
Cadherin-catenin complexes are critical for the assembly of cell-cell adhesion structures known as adherens junctions. In addition to the mechanical linkage of neighboring cells to each other, these cell-cell adhesion protein complexes have recently emerged as important sensors and transmitters of the extracellular cues inside the cell body and into the nucleus. In the past few years, multiple studies have identified a connection between the cadherin-catenin protein complexes and major intracellular signaling pathways. Those studies are the main focus of this review.
Division of Human Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA.
Olga
O
Klezovitch
Division of Human Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA ; Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA ; Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
Valeri
V
Vasioukhin
adherin junctions; cadherin; catenin; cell-cell adhesion; cell-cell interactions; intracellular signaling pathways