CELL BIOLOGY RESEARCH PROGRESS C ADHERINS T , S F YPES TRUCTURE AND UNCTIONS No part of this digital document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means. The publisher has taken reasonable care in the preparation of this digital document, but makes no expressed or implied warranty of any kind and assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for incidental or consequential damages in connection with or arising out of information contained herein. This digital document is sold with the clear understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, medical or any other professional services. C B R P ELL IOLOGY ESEARCH ROGRESS Additional books and e-books in this series can be found on Nova’s website under the Series tab. CELL BIOLOGY RESEARCH PROGRESS C ADHERINS T , S F YPES TRUCTURE AND UNCTIONS JONATHAN MCWILLIAM EDITOR Copyright © 2020 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. 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Description: Hauppauge : Nova Science Publishers, [2020] | Series: Cell biology research progress | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Summary: "Cadherins are adhesion molecules which mediate homophilic Ca2+-dependent intercellular adhesion. They play a crucial role in tissue morphogenesis during embryonic development and in the maintenance of tissue architecture in adults. In this compilation, the authors review and discuss the structure of the cadherin-mediated junctions in seminiferous tubules and their functions in male fertility. Additionally, role of E-cadh in uterine and mammary gland homeostasis is reviewed, and the disruptive patterns of E-cadh expression in neoplastic conditions of the uterus and mammary glands in humans and domestic dogs and cats are described"-- Provided by publisher. Identifiers: LCCN 2020024377 (print) | LCCN 2020024378 (ebook) | ISBN 9781536180770 (paperback) | ISBN 9781536180961 (adobe pdf) Subjects: LCSH: Cadherins. | Cell adhesion molecules. Classification: LCC QP552.C42 C34 2020 (print) | LCC QP552.C42 (ebook) | DDC 572/.4--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020024377 LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020024378 Published by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. † New York CONTENTS Preface vii Chapter 1 Standing Out from the Crowd: Functions of T-Cadherin in Health and Disease 1 Maria Philippova and Therese J. Resink Chapter 2 Cadherin-Mediated Cell Adhesion within the Seminiferous Tubules 95 Rita Payan-Carreira and Dario Santos Chapter 3 Disruption of E-Cadherin Pattern in Uterine and Mammary Tumours 129 Adelina Gama, Fernanda Seixas, Maria dos Anjos Pires, Fernando Schmitt and Rita Payan-Carreira Index 163 PREFACE Cadherins are adhesion molecules which mediate homophilic Ca2+- dependent intercellular adhesion. They play a crucial role in tissue morphogenesis during embryonic development and in the maintenance of tissue architecture in adults. In this compilation, the authors review and discuss the structure of the cadherin-mediated junctions in seminiferous tubules and their functions in male fertility. Additionally, role of E-cadh in uterine and mammary gland homeostasis is reviewed, and the disruptive patterns of E-cadh expression in neoplastic conditions of the uterus and mammary glands in humans and domestic dogs and cats are described. (Imprint: Nova) Chapter 1 - Cadherins are adhesion molecules which mediate homophilic Ca2+-dependent intercellular adhesion. They play a crucial role in tissue morphogenesis during embryonic development and in the maintenance of tissue architecture in the adult. Cadherin-based adherens junctions and downstream signaling pathways are important for regulation of many processes during tissue remodeling such as cell sorting, polarity, migration, differentiation and survival. The cadherin superfamily is heterogeneous. Apart from the main large sub-families of structurally related members, it includes several atypical cadherins and cadherin- related proteins with unique molecular structures. Among these is T- viii Jonathan McWilliam cadherin (cadherin-13) which lacks transmembrane and cytosolic domains and is anchored to the plasma membrane via a glycosyl- phosphatidylinositol anchor. Due to the absence of an intracellular molecular moiety, T-cadherin-based intercellular contacts are weak and T- cadherin-dependent cellular processes are mediated by signaling mechanisms that are entirely different from those utilized by classical transmembrane cadherins. T-cadherin was originally described in the embryonic nervous system where it functions as a guidance molecule navigating projecting motor axons. Subsequently T-cadherin was demonstrated to regulate cell motility, proliferation, survival and phenotype of vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells, cardiomyocytes, keratinocytes and several cancer cell types. Of particular interest is its function in angiogenesis and also its involvement in cardioprotective effects of adiponectin, an adipose tissue-derived hormone which regulates glucose and fatty acid metabolism and supresses progression of atherosclerosis. In the current chapter the authors review the existing knowledge and recent studies on T-cadherin structure, signaling, functions in different tissues, and relevance to pathogenesis of neurological disorders, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Chapter 2 - Cadherins (Cadh) are key-molecules in Adherens junctions (AJs). They are multiprotein complexes mediating cell-cell adhesion, and particularly important to shape cell polarity, provide plasticity and maintain architectural integrity. Cadh, a large superfamily of cell surface glycoproteins, present a unique extracellular region domain folding like the immunoglobulin domains. They are found in a wide array of species and a multitude of tissues, including the testis. In the mammalian testis, the seminiferous tubules represent a unique type of epithelium-like tissue, composed of two different cellular populations: the Sertoli somatic cells and the spermatogenic cells. Different sorts of cell-to-cell attachments connect adjacent Sertoli cells and Sertoli to germ cells. The overall arrangement of junctions forms the blood-testis barrier. These connections offer an immune-privileged environment to the developing germ cells, and the nutritional and metabolic support to germ cells while offering particular plasticity to the tubular structure. They allow the migration of