Structure and Function of the Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule Ncam

Description

• Provides an introduction to current knowledge of extracellular and intracellular NCAM ligands and the structural basis of NCAM interactions with the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor
• Examines various aspects of NCAM structure and function, making for a straightforward approach to NCAM
• Explores new therapeutic potential of NCAM mimetics

Adhesive interactions are important for cell trafficking, differentiation, function and tissue formation. In the nervous system, many cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) are involved in migration of neuroblasts, outgrowth and fasciculation of neuronal processes, formation of synapses and rearrangements of synaptic contacts associated with plasticity including learning and memory. More than eighty CAMs were found to be localized at synaptic sites, where they in a regulated manner bridge pre- and postsynaptic specializations thereby modulating synaptic function. Structure and Function of the Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule NCAM describes recent developments concerning structural, functional and possible therapeutic aspects of one particular CAM, the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM). NCAM is one of the first identified and most studied CAMs, and this book is the first attempt to collectively summarize our current knowledge of this important cell adhesion molecule.

Table of Contents

1. Structural Biology of NCAM Vladislav Soroka, Christina Kasper and Flemming M. Poulsen
2. Extracellular Protein Interactions Mediated by NCAM: Heterophilic Interactions between NCAM and Cell Adhesion Molecules, Extracellular Matrix Proteins, and Viruses Janne Nielsen, Nikolaj Kulahin and Peter S. Walmod
3. Intracellular Ligands of NCAM Bettina Büttner and Rüdiger Horstkorte
4. NCAM and the FGF receptor Vladislav V. Kiselyov
5. The Role of ATP in the Regulation of NCAM Function Martin V. Hübschmann and Galina Skladchikova
6. Polysialylation of NCAM Herbert Hildebrandt, Martina Mühlenhoff and Rita Gerardy-Schahn
7. Structural Basis for the Polysialylation of NCAM Karen J. Colley
8. The Role of PSA-NCAM in Adult Neurogenesis Eduardo Gascon, Laszlo Vutskits and Jozsef Zoltan Kiss
9. Use of PSA-NCAM in Repair of the Central Nervous System Abderrahman El Maarouf and Urs Rutishauser
10. Signaling Pathways Involved in NCAM-induced Neurite Outgrowth Dorte Kornerup Ditlevsen and Kateryna Kolkova
11. Role of Growth-Associated Protein GAP-43 in NCAM-mediated Neurite Outgrowth Irina Korshunova, Mark Mosevitsky
12. NCAM and Lipid Rafts Gro Klitgaard Povlsen and Dorte Kornerup Ditlevsen
13. NCAM and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor: Signaling Crosstalk Gro Klitgaard Povlsen
14. Biosynthesis of NCAM Kateryna Kolkova
15. Soluble NCAM Thomas Secher
16. Role of NCAM in Spine Dynamics and Synaptogenesis Dominique Muller, Pablo Mendez, Mathias De Roo, Paul Klauser, S. Steen and Lorenzo Poglia
17. NCAM in Long-term Potentiation and Learning Barbara P. Hartz and Lars Christian B. Rønn
18. Role of NCAM in Emotion and Learning Lisa Conboy, Reto Bisaz, Kamila Markram and Carmen Sandi
19. NCAM in Neuropsychiatric and Neurodegenerative Disorders Leann H. Brennaman and Patricia F. Maness
20. NCAM in Cancer: Expression and Mechanisms Silvia Zecchini and Ugo Cavallaro
21. NCAM Mimetic Peptides: An Update Vladimir Berezin and Elisabeth Bock
22. Synthetic NCAM-derived Ligands of the FGF receptor Stine Maria Hansen, Shizhong Li, Elisabeth Bock and Vladimir Berezin
23. Dendritic Spine and Synapse Morphological Alterations Induced by an NCAM Mimetic Michael Stewart, Victor Popov, Nilolai Medvedev, Paul Gabbott, Nicola Corbett, Igor Kraev and Heather Davies
24. Fasciclin II: The NCAM Ortholog in Drosophila melanogaster Lars V. Kristiansen and Michael Hortsch
25. The Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule NCAM2/OCAM/RNCAM: A Close Relative of NCAM Nikolaj Kulahin and Peter S. Walmod
26. Honoring Dr. Elisabeth Bock Vladimir Berezin