Protocadherin aile üyesinin memeli hücrelerindeki hücresel rolü

Cell division is a fundamental process by which all living things propagate. Throughout the cell cycle different cellular complexes undergo dramatic re-organization in a coordinated manner. During the cell division cell surface morphology also undergoes drastic changes. Intracellular mechanisms that control cell division cycle have been widely studied, whereas not much is known about the changes in cell surface during the cell cycle. As cells divide, adherent cells undergo cell retraction and become rounded due to down regulation of adhesive systems and reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton. Cell to cell adhesion is especially mediated by cadherin superfamily of proteins. Protocadherins are the largest subfamily of cadherin superfamily and they are primarily expressed in nervous system. They are found at the cell-to-cell contact site and via homophilic binding activity they mediate cell sorting in a Ca2+ dependent manner. The aim of this study is to investigate the cellular role of a protocadherin family member during mitosis. Towards this goal, we performed transfection experiments and by using microscopy techniques we analyzed the subcellular localization of the protocadherin family member during the cell cycle. We also performed RNAi mediated depletion experiments and showed that it is important for the organization of the mammalian mitotic cells.