The JAM family of junctional adhesion molecules

Abstract

Junctional adhesion molecules are a family of glycoproteins characterised by two immunoglobulin folds (VH- and C2-type) in the extracellular domain. Junctional adhesion molecule proteins localise to intercellular junctions of polarised endothelial and epithelial cells but can also be expressed on circulating leukocytes and platelets. In addition, they bind several ligands, in both a homophilic and heterophilic manner, and associate with several cytoplasmic partners. All these features represent the likely determinants for the role of junctional adhesion molecule proteins in processes as diverse as junction assembly, leukocyte transmigration and platelet activation.