N-Cadherin extracellular repeat 4 mediates epithelial to mesenchymal transition and increased motility.

ABSTRACT: E- and N-cadherin are members of the classical cadherin family of proteins. E-cadherin plays an important role in maintaining the normal phenotype of epithelial cells. Previous studies from our laboratory and other laboratories have shown that inappropriate expression of N-cadherin by tumor cells derived from epithelial tissue results in conversion of the cell to a more fibroblast-like cell, with increased motility and invasion. Our present study was designed to determine which domains of N-cadherin make it different from E-cadherin, with respect to altering cellular behavior, such as which domains are responsible for the epithelial to mesenchymal transition and increased cell motility and invasion. To address this question, we constructed chimeric cadherins comprised of selected domains o

SUBMITTER: Kim JB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2190584 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature