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Nectin: an adhesion molecule involved in formation of synapses
- Source :
- The Journal of Cell Biology
- Publication Year :
- 2002
-
Abstract
- The nectin–afadin system is a novel cell–cell adhesion system that organizes adherens junctions cooperatively with the cadherin–catenin system in epithelial cells. Nectin is an immunoglobulin-like adhesion molecule, and afadin is an actin filament–binding protein that connects nectin to the actin cytoskeleton. Nectin has four isoforms (-1, -2, -3, and -4). Each nectin forms a homo-cis-dimer followed by formation of a homo-trans-dimer, but nectin-3 furthermore forms a hetero-trans-dimer with nectin-1 or -2, and the formation of each hetero-trans-dimer is stronger than that of each homo-trans-dimer. We show here that at the synapses between the mossy fiber terminals and dendrites of pyramidal cells in the CA3 area of adult mouse hippocampus, the nectin–afadin system colocalizes with the cadherin–catenin system, and nectin-1 and -3 asymmetrically localize at the pre- and postsynaptic sides of puncta adherentia junctions, respectively. During development, nectin-1 and -3 asymmetrically localize not only at puncta adherentia junctions but also at synaptic junctions. Inhibition of the nectin-based adhesion by an inhibitor of nectin-1 in cultured rat hippocampal neurons results in a decrease in synapse size and a concomitant increase in synapse number. These results indicate an important role of the nectin–afadin system in the formation of synapses.
- Subjects :
- Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Pyramidal Cells
Microfilament Proteins
Nectins
Synaptic Membranes
Synaptophysin
Kinesins
Cell Differentiation
Adherens Junctions
Dendrites
Myosins
Immunohistochemistry
Article
Protein Structure, Tertiary
Rats
Microscopy, Electron
Fetus
Viral Envelope Proteins
nectin
afadin
cadherin
puncta adherentia junctions
synaptic junctions
Mossy Fibers, Hippocampal
Synapses
Cell Adhesion
Animals
Cell Adhesion Molecules
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 00219525
- Volume :
- 156
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- The Journal of cell biology
- Accession number :
- edsair.pmid..........81667d4efd5dd3facba48568f34a0556