VE-cadherin is a component of endothelial cell-to-cell adherens junctions, and it has a key
role in the maintenance of vascular integrity. During embryo development, VE-cadherin is …

Small GTP-binding proteins (G proteins) exist in eukaryotes from yeast to human and
constitute a superfamily consisting of more than 100 members. This superfamily is …

The aberrant activity of Ras homologous (Rho) family small GTPases (20 human members)
has been implicated in cancer and other human diseases. However, in contrast to the direct …

The Rho-family proteins make up a major branch of the Ras superfamily of small GTPases.
To date, 22 human genes encoding at least 25 proteins have been described. The best …

Cadherins are calcium-dependent adhesion molecules responsible for the establishment of
tight cell–cell contacts. p120 catenin (p120ctn) binds to the cytoplasmic domain of cadherins …

Focal adhesions (FAs) are specialized sites of cell attachment to the extracellular matrix
(ECM) where integrin receptors link the ECM to the actin cytoskeleton. Integrins cluster into …

The GTP hydrolases of the Rho/Rac family participate in the generation of coordinated
cellular responses to extracellular stimuli (52, 153). Their actions are essential to promote …

Hyaluronan (HA), a major component of the extracellular matrix (ECM), is enriched in many
types of tumors. In cancer patients HA concentrations are usually higher in malignant tumors …

Salmonella enterica, the cause of food poisoning and typhoid fever, has evolved
sophisticated mechanisms to modulate Rho family guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) to …

The transforming gene of the Rous sarcoma virus, v-src, is a mutated and activated version
of a normal cellular gene, c-src, which encodes a protein with intrinsic tyrosine kinase …