cadherinproteiinien

Cadherinproteiinien, also known as cadherins or calcium-dependent adhesion proteins, are a class of transmembrane proteins that play a crucial role in cell-cell adhesion within multicellular organisms. These proteins are fundamental for maintaining tissue architecture, mediating cell recognition, and facilitating cell sorting during development.

Cadherins function by forming adherens junctions, which are specialized structures that connect neighboring cells. They interact primarily through their extracellular domains, which bind calcium ions to stabilize their structure and enable homophilic adhesion—binding to the same cadherin type on adjacent cells. This calcium-dependent mechanism ensures tight and specific cell adhesion, which is vital for tissue integrity and signal transduction.

There are several types of cadherins, classified based on their expression patterns and functions. Classical cadherins, such as E-cadherin (epithelial), N-cadherin (neural), and P-cadherin (placental), are the most studied and are involved in maintaining cell polarity and tissue cohesion. Non-classical cadherins, including protocadherins and desmosomal cadherins, participate in more specialized adhesion roles.

Cadherins interact with intracellular proteins like catenins, linking the adhesion complex to the actin cytoskeleton. This connection influences cell shape, motility, and intracellular signaling pathways. Abnormalities in cadherin expression or function have been linked to various pathological conditions, notably cancer metastasis, where loss of E-cadherin expression can promote cell detachment and invasion.

Overall, cadherinproteiinien are essential for tissue stability, cellular communication, and developmental processes, making them a significant focus of research in cell biology and medicine.