| Modification Notes |
The cadherins are a family of Ca2+-dependent adhesion molecules that function to mediate cell-cell binding critical to the maintenance of tissue structure and morphogenesis. Cadherins each contain a large extracellular domain at the amino-terminus, which is characterized by a series of five homologous repeats, the most distal of which is thought to be responsible for binding specificity. The relatively short carboxy-terminal, intracellular domain interacts with a variety of cytoplasmic proteins, including ∫-catenin, to regulate cadherin function. VE-caderhin-2, also known as PCDH12 (protocadherin 12), VECAD2 or PCDH12, is a 1,184 amino acid single-pass type I membrane protein that is highly expressed in vascularized tissues, including heart and placenta. VE-caderhin-2 may play an important role in cell-cell interactions and may promote homotypic calcium-dependent aggregation and adhesion at intercellular junctions. |