Cell adhesion molecules are (glyco)proteins expressed on the cell surface and play a critical role in a wide array of biologic processes that include hemostasis, the immune response, inflammation, embryogenesis, and development of neuronal tissue. There are four main groups: the integrin family, the immunoglobulin superfamily, selectins, and cadherins. Membrane proteins that mediate immune cell–cell interactions fall into different categories, namely those involved in antigen recognition, costimulation and cellular adhesion. Furthermore cell-cell adhesions are important for brain morphology and highly coordinated brain functions such as memory and learning. During early development of the nervous system, neurons elongate their axons towards their targets and establish and maintain synapses through formation of cell-cell adhesions. Cell-cell adhesions also underpin axon-axon contacts and link neurons with supporting schwann cells and oligodendrocytes.

Environmental Information Processing; Signaling molecules and interaction

PMID:14690046

Barclay AN.

Membrane proteins with immunoglobulin-like domains--a master superfamily of interaction molecules.

Semin Immunol 15:215-23 (2003)
DOI:10.1016/S1044-5323(03)00047-2

PMID:11910893

Sharpe AH, Freeman GJ.

The B7-CD28 superfamily.

Nat Rev Immunol 2:116-26 (2002)
DOI:10.1038/nri727

PMID:9597126

Grewal IS, Flavell RA.

CD40 and CD154 in cell-mediated immunity.

Annu Rev Immunol 16:111-35 (1998)
DOI:10.1146/annurev.immunol.16.1.111

PMID:16034094

Dardalhon V, Schubart AS, Reddy J, Meyers JH, Monney L, Sabatos CA, Ahuja R, Nguyen K, Freeman GJ, Greenfield EA, Sobel RA, Kuchroo VK.

CD226 is specifically expressed on the surface of Th1 cells and regulates their expansion and effector functions.

J Immunol 175:1558-65 (2005)
DOI:10.4049/jimmunol.175.3.1558

PMID:12234363

Montoya MC, Sancho D, Vicente-Manzanares M, Sanchez-Madrid F.

Cell adhesion and polarity during immune interactions.

Immunol Rev 186:68-82 (2002)
DOI:10.1034/j.1600-065X.2002.18607.x

PMID:15071551

Dejana E.

Endothelial cell-cell junctions: happy together.

Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 5:261-70 (2004)
DOI:10.1038/nrm1357

PMID:14519386

Bazzoni G.

The JAM family of junctional adhesion molecules.

Curr Opin Cell Biol 15:525-30 (2003)
DOI:10.1016/S0955-0674(03)00104-2

PMID:10798271

Becker BF, Heindl B, Kupatt C, Zahler S.

Endothelial function and hemostasis.

Z Kardiol 89:160-7 (2000)
DOI:10.1007/PL00007320

PMID:9150551

Elangbam CS, Qualls CW Jr, Dahlgren RR.

Cell adhesion molecules--update.

Vet Pathol 34:61-73 (1997)
DOI:10.1177/030098589703400113

PMID:12810109

Muller WA.

Leukocyte-endothelial-cell interactions in leukocyte transmigration and the inflammatory response.

Trends Immunol 24:327-34 (2003)
DOI:10.1016/S1471-4906(03)00117-0

PMID:14519398

Yamagata M, Sanes JR, Weiner JA.

Synaptic adhesion molecules.

Curr Opin Cell Biol 15:621-32 (2003)
DOI:10.1016/S0955-0674(03)00107-8

PMID:15882774

Ethell IM, Pasquale EB.

Molecular mechanisms of dendritic spine development and remodeling.

Prog Neurobiol 75:161-205 (2005)
DOI:10.1016/j.pneurobio.2005.02.003

PMID:11050419

Benson DL, Schnapp LM, Shapiro L, Huntley GW.

Making memories stick: cell-adhesion molecules in synaptic plasticity.

Trends Cell Biol 10:473-82 (2000)
DOI:10.1016/S0962-8924(00)01838-9

PMID:11860281

Rosdahl JA, Mourton TL, Brady-Kalnay SM.

Protein kinase C delta (PKCdelta) is required for protein tyrosine phosphatase mu (PTPmu)-dependent neurite outgrowth.

Mol Cell Neurosci 19:292-306 (2002)
DOI:10.1006/mcne.2001.1071

PMID:10964748

Dunican DJ, Doherty P.

The generation of localized calcium rises mediated by cell adhesion molecules and their role in neuronal growth cone motility.

Mol Cell Biol Res Commun 3:255-63 (2000)
DOI:10.1006/mcbr.2000.0225

PMID:12367625

Girault JA, Peles E.

Development of nodes of Ranvier.

Curr Opin Neurobiol 12:476-85 (2002)
DOI:10.1016/S0959-4388(02)00370-7

PMID:10664064

Arroyo EJ, Scherer SS.

On the molecular architecture of myelinated fibers.

Histochem Cell Biol 113:1-18 (2000)
DOI:10.1007/s004180050001

PMID:14556710

Salzer JL.

Polarized domains of myelinated axons.

Neuron 40:297-318 (2003)
DOI:10.1016/S0896-6273(03)00628-7

PMID:15561584

Irie K, Shimizu K, Sakisaka T, Ikeda W, Takai Y.

Roles and modes of action of nectins in cell-cell adhesion.

Semin Cell Dev Biol 15:643-56 (2004)
DOI:10.1016/j.semcdb.2004.09.002

PMID:15551862

Nakanishi H, Takai Y.

Roles of nectins in cell adhesion, migration and polarization.

Biol Chem 385:885-92 (2004)
DOI:10.1515/BC.2004.116

PMID:15115723

Siu MK, Cheng CY.

Extracellular matrix: recent advances on its role in junction dynamics in the seminiferous epithelium during spermatogenesis.

Biol Reprod 71:375-91 (2004)
DOI:10.1095/biolreprod.104.028225

PMID:15056568

Lee NP, Cheng CY.

Adaptors, junction dynamics, and spermatogenesis.

Biol Reprod 71:392-404 (2004)
DOI:10.1095/biolreprod.104.027268

PMID:15728677

Inagaki M, Irie K, Ishizaki H, Tanaka-Okamoto M, Morimoto K, Inoue E, Ohtsuka T, Miyoshi J, Takai Y.

Roles of cell-adhesion molecules nectin 1 and nectin 3 in ciliary body development.

Development 132:1525-37 (2005)
DOI:10.1242/dev.01697

PMID:12500939

Marthiens V, Gavard J, Lambert M, Mege RM.

Cadherin-based cell adhesion in neuromuscular development.

Biol Cell 94:315-26 (2002)
DOI:10.1016/S0248-4900(02)00005-9

PMID:15923648

Krauss RS, Cole F, Gaio U, Takaesu G, Zhang W, Kang JS.

Close encounters: regulation of vertebrate skeletal myogenesis by cell-cell contact.

J Cell Sci 118:2355-62 (2005)
DOI:10.1242/jcs.02397