Roles of nectins in cell adhesion, signaling and polarization

• Published in: Handbook of experimental pharmacology no. 165; p. 343
• Main Authors: Irie, K, Shimizu, K, Sakisaka, T, Ikeda, W, Takai, Y
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 2004
• ISSN: 0171-2004
• DOI: 10.1007/978-3-540-68170-0_11

Nectins are Ca(2+)-independent immunoglobulin-like cell-cell adhesion molecules which constitute a family of four members. Nectins homophilically and heterophilically trans-interact and cause cell-cell adhesion. This nectin-based cell-cell adhesion plays roles in the organization of adherens junctions in epithelial cells and fibroblasts and synaptic junctions in neurons in cooperation with cadherins. The nectin-based cell-cell adhesion plays roles in the contacts between commissural axons and floor plate cells and in the organization of Sertoli cell-spermatid junctions in the testis, independently of cadherins. Nectins furthermore regulate intracellular signaling through Cdc42 and Rac small G proteins and cell polarization through cell polarity proteins. Pathologically, nectins serve as entry and cell-cell spread mediators of herpes simplex viruses.