This gene encodes a classical cadherin of the cadherin superfamily. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants, at least one of which encodes a preproprotein that is proteolytically processed to generate the mature glycoprotein. This calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion protein is comprised of five extracellular cadherin repeats, a transmembrane region and a highly conserved cytoplasmic tail. Mutations in this gene are correlated with gastric, breast, colorectal, thyroid and ovarian cancer. Loss of function of this gene is thought to contribute to cancer progression by increasing proliferation, invasion, and/or metastasis. The ectodomain of this protein mediates bacterial adhesion to mammalian cells and the cytoplasmic domain is required for internalization. This gene is present in a gene cluster with other members of the cadherin family on chromosome 16. [provided by RefSeq, Nov 2015]
Molecular Weight(MW)
120 kDa(Observed band size: 130 kDa)
Function
E-Cadherin is a 120 kDa transmembrane glycoprotein that is localized in the adherens junctions of epithelial cells. There, it interacts with the cytoskeleton through the associated cytoplasmic catenin proteins. In addition to being a calcium-dependent adhesion molecule, E-Cadherin is also a critical regulator of epithelial junction formation. Its association with catenins is necessary for cell-cell adhesion. These E-cadherin/catenin complexes associate with corical actin bundles at both the zonula adherens and the lateral adhesion plaques. Tyrosine phosphorylation can disrupt these complexes, leading to changes in cell adhesion properties. E-Cadherin expression is often down-regulated in highly invasive, poorly differentiated carcinomas. Increased expression of E-Cadherin in these cells reduces invasiveness. Thus, loss of expression or function of E-Cadherin appears to be an important step in tumorigenic progression.Tissue specificity: Non-neural epithelial tissues.