ABSTRACT
The importance of cell adhesion molecules in the context of tissue architecture has long been recognized and is a critical area of cell biology. Interest in this area has exploded in the past decade with the identification of specific molecules mediating cell-cell adhesion and, importantly, the organization and structure of distinct cell adhesion complexes. This chapter focuses on cell adhesion molecules in the kidney, including discussion of both cell-extracellular matrix and homotypic and heterotypic adhesion complexes. While it is apparent that, in addition to a critical structural role, cell adhesion molecules may also be important signaling modulators (reviewed in Juliano, 2002), a focus will be given to the cell-extracellular matrix or cell-cell adhesion role of these complexes.
