Molecular Aspects of Cadherin-Mediated  Cell-Cell Adhesion and Junction Formation

This lecture outlines the molecular basis of cadherin-mediated  cell-cell adhesion and present a theoretical model and Monte-Carlo simulations for the formation of inter-cellular (e.g., adherens and desmosomal) junctions. Also discussed is the  relationship between the binding free energies measured in 3D solutions to those pertaining to the binding of adhesion receptors in the 2D gap between adhering cells.