Cadherins are transmembrane glycoproteins that mediate calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion. The cadherin family is large and diverse, and proteins are considered to be members of this family if they have one or more cadherin repeats in their extracellular domain. Cadherin family members are the transmembrane components of a number of cellular junctions, including adherens junctions, desmosomes, cardiac junctions, endothelial junctions, and synaptic junctions. Cadherin function is critical in normal development, and alterations in cadherin function have been implicated in tumorigenesis. The strength of cadherin interactions can be regulated by a number of proteins, including the catenins, which serve to link the cadherin to the cytoskeleton. Cadherins have been implicated in a number of signaling pathways that regulate cellular behavior, and it is becoming increasingly clear that integration of information received from cell-cell signaling, cell-matrix signaling, and growth factor signaling determines ultimate cellular phenotype and behavior.

中文翻译：

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钙黏着蛋白作为细胞表型的调节剂。

钙黏着蛋白是介导钙依赖性细胞-细胞粘附的跨膜糖蛋白。钙黏着蛋白家族很大且种类繁多，如果蛋白质在其细胞外结构域中具有一个或多个钙黏着蛋白重复序列​​，则认为蛋白质是该家族的成员。钙黏着蛋白家族成员是许多细胞连接的跨膜成分，包括粘附连接，桥粒，心脏连接，内皮连接和突触连接。钙黏着蛋白功能在正常发育中至关重要，并且钙黏着蛋白功能的改变与肿瘤发生有关。钙粘蛋白相互作用的强度可以由许多蛋白调节，包括连环蛋白，这些蛋白可将钙粘蛋白与细胞骨架相连。钙黏着蛋白已参与调节细胞行为的许多信号传导途径，