Kadherriinijärjestelmän

Kadherriinijärjestelmän, often translated as the cadherin system, refers to a superfamily of transmembrane proteins that play a crucial role in cell adhesion. These proteins are essential for the formation and maintenance of multicellular tissues in animals. Cadherins mediate calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion, meaning their function requires the presence of calcium ions.

There are many different types of cadherins, each with specific expression patterns in different tissues and at different developmental stages. This specificity allows cadherins to mediate selective cell adhesion, ensuring that cells of the same type stick to each other. For example, E-cadherin is important in epithelial tissues, while N-cadherin is found in neural tissues.

The cytoplasmic domain of cadherins interacts with components of the cytoskeleton, particularly actin filaments, through adapter proteins like catenins. This linkage connects the extracellular adhesion function of cadherins to the cell's internal structure, influencing cell shape, motility, and signaling. Disruptions in cadherin function are associated with various developmental abnormalities and diseases, including cancer, where loss or altered expression of cadherins can contribute to tumor invasiveness and metastasis. Understanding the cadherin system is therefore vital for comprehending tissue development, organization, and the pathogenesis of certain diseases.