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Biophysics of Cadherin Adhesion

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Adherens Junctions: from Molecular Mechanisms to Tissue Development and Disease

Part of the book series: Subcellular Biochemistry ((SCBI,volume 60))

Abstract

Since the identification of cadherins and the publication of the first crystal structures, the mechanism of cadherin adhesion, and the underlying structural basis have been studied with a number of different experimental techniques, different classical cadherin subtypes, and cadherin fragments. Earlier studies based on biophysical measurements and structure determinations resulted in seemingly contradictory findings regarding cadherin adhesion. However, recent experimental data increasingly reveal parallels between structures, solution binding data, and adhesion-based biophysical measurements that are beginning to both reconcile apparent differences and generate a more comprehensive model of cadherin-mediated cell adhesion. This chapter summarizes the functional, structural, and biophysical findings relevant to cadherin junction assembly and adhesion. We emphasize emerging parallels between findings obtained with different experimental approaches. Although none of the current models accounts for all of the available experimental and structural data, this chapter discusses possible origins of apparent discrepancies, highlights remaining gaps in current knowledge, and proposes challenges for further study.

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Acknowledgments

DEL was supported by NSF CBET 0853705 and by NIH R21 HD059002. SS was supported by the Basil O’Connor Starter Scholar Award from the March of Dimes Foundation (#5-FY10-51).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Ave, 61801, Urbana, IL, USA

    Deborah Leckband

  2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, A319 Zaffarano Hall, 50011, Aimes, IA, USA

    Sanjeevi Sivasankar

Authors
  1. Deborah Leckband
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  2. Sanjeevi Sivasankar
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Correspondence to Deborah Leckband .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Harbord Street 25, Toronto, M5S 3G5, Ontario, Canada

    Tony Harris

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Leckband, D., Sivasankar, S. (2012). Biophysics of Cadherin Adhesion. In: Harris, T. (eds) Adherens Junctions: from Molecular Mechanisms to Tissue Development and Disease. Subcellular Biochemistry, vol 60. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4186-7_4

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