Neural cadherin: role in selective cell-cell adhesion

Science. 1989 Aug 11;245(4918):631-5. doi: 10.1126/science.2762814.

Abstract

Cadherins are a family of Ca2+-dependent intercellular adhesion molecules. Complementary DNAs encoding mouse neural cadherin (N-cadherin) were cloned, and the cell binding specificity of this molecule was examined. Mouse N-cadherin shows 92 percent similarity in amino acid sequence to the chicken homolog, while it shows 49 percent and 43 percent similarity to epithelial cadherin and to placental cadherin of the same species, respectively. In cell binding assays, mouse N-cadherin did not cross-react with other mouse cadherins, but it did cross-react with chicken N-cadherin. The results indicate that each cadherin type confers distinct adhesive specificities on different cells, and also that the specificity of N-cadherin is conserved between mammalian and avian cells.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antigens, Surface / genetics
  • Antigens, Surface / physiology*
  • Base Sequence
  • Brain Chemistry
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules
  • Cell Adhesion*
  • Chickens
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • DNA / genetics
  • Embryo, Mammalian
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian
  • L Cells
  • Mice
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nerve Tissue / analysis*
  • Nucleic Acid Hybridization
  • Tissue Distribution
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antigens, Surface
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules
  • DNA

Associated data

  • GENBANK/M22556
  • GENBANK/M31131