Cell adhesion molecule

Cell adhesion molecules ( CAMs also, english cell adhesion molecule ) are a class of proteins that mediate contacts between cells in an animal tissue. You have two basic functions:

• The cohesion of tissues and
• To allow communication of cells with one another.

Are integral membrane proteins protruding from the cell and, at the cell surface to interact with other proteins.

There are cell adhesion molecules make the contacts between two adjacent cells, and cell adhesion molecules make the contact between the cell and the extracellular matrix are distinguished:

Cell -cell adhesion

There are two major groups of proteins, the cadherins, calcium dependent, enter homophilic bonds, and the large group of N- CAM (english nerve- cell adhesion molecule ) or the immunoglobulin superfamily, which also mainly with other N- CAMs of the same kind interact. In this way, similarly structured cells come together and recognize each other, so that they can form a coherent fabric and thus the organ. Other proteins that mediate cell -cell adhesion, LRR proteins ( english Leucine - rich repeat ), EGF - domain proteins and type C lectin.

Cell-matrix adhesion

Compounds of the cells to the extracellular matrix produced by the integrins. These are heterodimeric receptors that bind primarily to the laminin and RGD - containing proteins of the extracellular matrix. They are particularly important for the cohesion.