Seven-Pass Transmembrane Cadherins: Roles and Emerging Mechanisms in Axonal and Dendritic Patterning

• Published in: Molecular neurobiology Vol. 44; no. 3; pp. 313 - 320
• Main Authors: Berger-Müller, Sandra, Suzuki, Takashi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Humana Press Inc 01-12-2011; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Axons - physiology; Axons - ultrastructure; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cadherin; Cadherins - chemistry; Cadherins - metabolism; Cell adhesion & migration; Cell Biology; Cell Polarity; Dendrites - physiology; Dendrites - ultrastructure; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Intracellular signalling; Membranes; Molecular modelling; Morphogenesis; Nervous system; Nervous System - anatomy & histology; Nervous System - metabolism; Neurobiology; Neurology; Neurons; Neurosciences; Polarity; Protein Conformation; Signal Transduction; GPCR-adhesion molecules; Flamingo; Celsr; Cadherins; Planar cell polarity; Dendrite formation; Axon guidance; Golden goal
• ISSN: 0893-7648; 1559-1182
• DOI: 10.1007/s12035-011-8201-5

The Flamingo/Celsr seven-transmembrane cadherins represent a conserved subgroup of the cadherin superfamily involved in multiple aspects of development. In the developing nervous system, Fmi/Celsr control axonal blueprint and dendritic morphogenesis from invertebrates to mammals. As expected from their molecular structure, seven-transmembrane cadherins can induce cell–cell homophilic interactions but also intracellular signaling. Fmi/Celsr is known to regulate planar cell polarity (PCP) through interactions with PCP proteins. In the nervous system, Fmi/Celsr can function in collaboration with or independently of other PCP genes. Here, we focus on recent studies which show that seven-transmembrane cadherins use distinct molecular mechanisms to achieve diverse functions in the development of the nervous system.