cadherinas

Cadherins (Spanish: cadherinas) are a family of calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion proteins found in most animal tissues. They mediate homophilic interactions through their extracellular domains and form adherens junctions that help maintain tissue architecture and transmit mechanical signals.

Cadherins are single-pass transmembrane proteins with extracellular cadherin repeats that bind calcium ions, which stabilize their conformation and adhesive interactions. The intracellular tail binds a complex of catenins (including β-catenin and p120-catenin), which links the cadherin to the actin cytoskeleton via α-catenin. This linkage enables dynamic adhesion that is regulated by cytoskeletal remodeling.

Classifications include classical cadherins (e.g., E-cadherin/CDH1, N-cadherin/CDH2, P-cadherin/CDH3) and non-classical cadherins such as VE-cadherin (endothelial), and desmosomal cadherins (desmogleins and desmocollins) that participate in desmosomes. Protocadherins constitute another diverse group.

Functionally, cadherins contribute to tissue morphogenesis, epithelial polarity, and cell sorting during development. They also participate in signaling, as β-catenin can interface with the Wnt pathway. Loss or downregulation of E-cadherin is associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and cancer progression, whereas specific cadherins can influence invasiveness and metastasis.

Genetic mutations in CDH1, encoding E-cadherin, are linked to hereditary diffuse gastric cancer and other disorders. Cadherins continue to be central to studies of cell adhesion, development, and disease.