N-cadherin (NCAD)

Cadherin 2, type 1, N-cadherin (neuronal),  is a classical cadherin from the cadherin superfamily. The encoded protein is a calcium dependent cell-cell adhesion glycoprotein comprising five extracellular cadherin repeats, a transmembrane region and a highly conserved cytoplasmic tail. The protein functions during gastrulation and is required for establishment of left-right asymmetry. At certain central nervous system synapses, presynaptic to postsynaptic adhesion is mediated at least in part by this gene product. Reid and Hemperly (1990) obtained a full-length NCAD clone from a Kelly neuroblastoma library. The NCAD gene encodes a 907-amino acid protein that includes a 159-amino acid signal sequence. Human and mouse nucleotide sequences are 96% identical.