How Do You Spell CADHERIN?

1. Cadherin is a transmembrane protein that plays a vital role in cell adhesion. It belongs to the superfamily of calcium-dependent cell adhesion molecules (CAMs). These proteins are primarily responsible for maintaining the integrity and stability of tissues by mediating homophilic interactions between cells.

   Cadherins are composed of an extracellular domain, a transmembrane domain, and a cytoplasmic domain. The extracellular domain consists of repeated motifs known as cadherin domains, which are connected by linker regions. This domain is responsible for the calcium-dependent binding between cadherins on adjacent cells.

   Through these calcium-dependent interactions, cadherins form adherens junctions, which are specialized cell-to-cell junctions. These junctions create strong and stable connections between cells, preventing their separation. Cadherin-mediated cell adhesion is critical for processes such as tissue formation, tissue remodeling, and embryonic development.

   The cytoplasmic domain of cadherins is associated with a variety of intracellular proteins, including catenins. This association links cadherins to the actin cytoskeleton, enabling the formation of stable cell-cell adhesions.

   There are several types of cadherins, each having a specific tissue distribution and function. Examples include E-cadherin (epithelial cadherin), N-cadherin (neuronal cadherin), and P-cadherin (placental cadherin). Different cadherins are expressed in different cell types, allowing for a diverse range of cell adhesion properties and functions.

Common Misspellings for CADHERIN

The word "cadherin" is derived from the combination of two words: "cadher" and "in".

The root "cadher" comes from the Latin word "cadere", which means "to fall" or "to decay". This root word was used in the initial naming of cadherins due to their role in cell-cell adhesion and their ability to bind cells together.

The suffix "-in" is a common suffix used in the scientific field to designate a protein or substance. It is borrowed from the German suffix "-in" (or Latin "-inus") meaning "pertaining to" or "belonging to".

Therefore, the word "cadherin" combines the root "cadher" (relating to cell-cell adhesion) with the suffix "-in" (indicating a protein), resulting in a word that describes a group of proteins responsible for mediating cell-cell adhesion interactions.

Plural form of CADHERIN is CADHERINS