RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan.
Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2009 Dec;1(6):a002899. doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a002899. Epub 2009 Aug 5.
The adherens junction (AJ) is an element of the cell-cell junction in which cadherin receptors bridge the neighboring plasma membranes via their homophilic interactions. Cadherins associate with cytoplasmic proteins, called catenins, which in turn bind to cytoskeletal components, such as actin filaments and microtubules. These molecular complexes further interact with other proteins, including signaling molecules, rendering the AJs into highly dynamic and regulatable structures. The AJs of such nature contribute to the physical linking of cells, as well as to the regulation of cell-cell contacts, which is essential for morphogenesis and remodeling of tissues and organs. Thus, elucidating the molecular architecture of the AJs and their regulatory mechanisms are crucial for understanding how the multicellular system is organized.
黏着连接（AJ）是细胞-细胞连接的一个组成部分，其中钙黏蛋白受体通过同源相互作用连接相邻的质膜。钙黏蛋白与细胞质蛋白（称为连环蛋白）结合，后者又与细胞骨架成分（如肌动蛋白丝和微管）结合。这些分子复合物进一步与其他蛋白质相互作用，包括信号分子，使 AJ 成为高度动态和可调节的结构。具有这种性质的 AJ 有助于细胞的物理连接，以及细胞-细胞接触的调节，这对于组织和器官的形态发生和重塑是必不可少的。因此，阐明 AJ 的分子结构及其调控机制对于理解多细胞系统的组织方式至关重要。
