Cell Adhesion Molecule

Cell Adhesion Molecule

Cell Adhesion Molecules (CAMs) are proteins located on the cell surface involved with the binding with other cells or with the extracellular matrix (ECM) in the process called cell adhesion. Essentially, cell adhesion molecules help cells stick to each other and to their surroundings.

These proteins are typically transmembrane receptors and are composed of three domains: an intracellular domain that interacts with the cytoskeleton, a transmembrane domain, and an extracellular domain that interacts either with other CAMs of the same kind (homophilic binding) or with other CAMs or the extracellular matrix (heterophilic binding).

Read more about Cell Adhesion Molecule:  Families of CAMs

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