The catenins (α, β, γ) are cytoplasmic proteins found in varying abundance in many developing and adult tissues.
Catenins bind directly or indirectly to the conserved cytoplasmic tail domain of the cell adhesion adherins. The association of catenins to cadherins produces a complex, which is linked to the actin filament network. Catenins/cadherin complexes play an important role in mediating cell adhesion, transduction of cell-cell contact positional signals to the cell interior, and may play a crucial role in cell differentiation. The linkage of the epithelial cadherin /uvomorulin to actin is essential for the cell binding function of this cadherin. α-Catenin (CAP102, 102 kDa), originally described as an E-cadherin associated protein, has been shown to associate with other members of the cadherin family members, N-cadherin and P-cadherin. Within its conserved region α-catenin shows 30% identity to vinculin.
