Genetic analysis of cadherin function in animal morphogenesis

Cadherins are a superfamily of Ca2+-dependent adhesion molecules found in m etazoans. Several classes of cadherins have been defined from which two - c lassic cadherins and Fat-like cadherins - have been studied by genetic appr oaches. Recent in vivo studies in Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila sho w that cadherins play an active role in a number of distinct morphogenetic processes, Classic cadherins function in epithelial polarization, epithelia l sheet or tube fusion, cell migration, cell sorting, and axonal patterning . Fat-like cadherins are required for epithelial morphogenesis, proliferati on control, and epithelial planar polarization.