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Molecular biology of cadherins in the nervous system

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Abstract

Cadherins are cell-cell adhesion molecules belonging to the Ca2+-dependent cadherin superfamily. In the last few years the number of cadherins identified in the nervous system has increased considerably. Cadherins are integral membrane glycoproteins. They are structurally closely related and interspecies homologies are high. The function is mediated through a homophilic binding mechanism, and intracellular proteins, directly or indirectly connected to the cadherins and the cytoskeleton, are necessary for cadherin activity. Cadherins have been implicated in segregation and aggregation of tissues at early developmental stages and in growth and guidance of axons during nervous system development. These functions are modified by changes in type(s) and amount of cadherins expressed at different developmental stages. The regulatory elements guiding cadherin expression are currently being elucidated.

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Abbreviations

CAM:

cell adhesion molecule

DG:

desmoglein

E:

embryonic day

SDS-PAGE:

sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

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  1. Panum Institute, The Protein Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, 3C Blegdamsvej Bldg 6,2, DK-2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark

    Anne-Marie Dalseg, Henrik Gaardsvoll & Elisabeth Bock

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Dalseg, AM., Gaardsvoll, H. & Bock, E. Molecular biology of cadherins in the nervous system. Mol Neurobiol 7, 207–228 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02769176

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