2. Academic Validation
  3. Nectins and nectin-like molecules in development and disease

Nectins and nectin-like molecules in development and disease

  • Curr Top Dev Biol. 2015;112:197-231. doi: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2014.11.019.
Kenji Mandai 1,  Yoshiyuki Rikitake 2,  Masahiro Mori 3,  Yoshimi Takai 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Division of Pathogenetic Signaling, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan; CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kobe, Japan.
  • 2 CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kobe, Japan; Division of Signal Transduction, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan; Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.
  • 3 CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kobe, Japan; Division of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan; Faculty of Health Sciences, Kobe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe, Japan.
  • 4 Division of Pathogenetic Signaling, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan; CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kobe, Japan. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 25733141 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2014.11.019
Abstract

Nectins and nectin-like molecules (Necls)/Cadms are Ca(2+)-independent immunoglobulin superfamily cell adhesion molecules, expressed in most cell types. Nectins mediate not only homotypic but also heterotypic cell-cell adhesion, in contrast to classic Cadherins which participate only in homophilic adhesion. Nectins and Necls function in organogenesis of the eye, inner ear, tooth, and cerebral cortex and in a variety of developmental processes including spermatogenesis, axon guidance, synapse formation, and myelination. They are also involved in various diseases, such as viral Infection, hereditary ectodermal dysplasia, Alzheimer's disease, autism spectrum disorder, and Cancer. Thus, nectins and Necls are crucial for both physiology and pathology. This review summarizes recent advances in research on these cell adhesion molecules in development and pathogenesis.

Keywords

Cell adhesion; Necl; Nectin; Nectin-like molecule.

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