Nectin

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of cell adhesion molecule found in vertebrates that plays a role in the formation of adherens junctions ; a protein involved in cellular recognition and signaling processes within tissues ; a member of a family of immunoglobulin-like proteins that facilitate cell-cell adhesion and communication
2. A protein family involved in connecting neighboring cells by forming junctions ; molecules that contribute to intercellular binding and signaling in tissues ; cell surface proteins that mediate adhesion and contribute to tissue organization
3. Cell adhesion proteins that participate in linking cells together and maintaining tissue integrity ; molecules important for cellular communication and the formation of cell junctions ; immunoglobulin-like receptors involved in cell recognition and adhesion processes

Etymology: Nectin is a modern scientific coinage, the name given to a family of cell-adhesion proteins that help cells stick to one another. Its origin is usually traced to "connect" with the suffix "-in", a common ending for proteins and other biochemical substances, so the name is a plain descriptive label: a protein that connects cells. The word belongs to the vocabulary of molecular biology rather than to older English, and it was formed from ordinary English parts instead of the classical roots that many scientific terms draw on.