The Immunoglobulin-Like Cell Adhesion Molecule Nectin and Its Associated Protein Afadin

Nectins are immunoglobulin-like cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) that compose a family, of four members. Nectins homophilically and heterophilically interact in trans with each other to form cell-cell adhesions. In addition, they heterophilically, interact in trans with other immunoglobulin-like CAMs. Nectins hind afadin, in actin filament (F-actin)-binding protein, at its cytoplasmic tail and associate with the actin cytoskeleton. Afadin additionally serves as an adaptor protein by further binding many scaffolding proteins and F-actin-binding proteins and contributes to the association of nectins with other cell-cell T adhesion and intracellular signaling systems. Nectins and afadin plan roles in the formation of a variety, of cell-cell junctions cooperatively), with, or independently of, cadherins. Cooperation between nectins and cadherins is required for the formation of cell-cell junctions; cadherins alone are not sufficient. Additionally, nectins regulate many other cellular activities (such as movement, proliferation, survival, differentiation, polarization, and the entry of viruses) in cooperation with other CAMs And cell surface membrane receptors.