The nonclustered protocadherins

Abstract

The protocadherins comprise the largest family of proteins within the cadherin superfamily, and are themselves further subdivided into the clustered and nonclustered protocadherins. The nonclustered protocadherins are evolutionarily conserved and vary in their regional patterns of expression within the nervous system, leading to the hypothesis that they participate in neural circuit assembly. Although the nonclustered protocadherins are strongly linked to both neurodevelopmental disorders and multiple forms of cancer, their physiological roles are poorly understood. Recent work is providing new insights into the nonclustered protocadherins, resulting in emerging themes. Here, data revealing roles for these molecules at multiple stages of development and that suggest an involvement in regulating proliferation and cell differentiation is discussed.