# CELL-CELL ADHESION AMONG EMBRYONIC CELLS

> **NIH NIH R37** · SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, THE · 1994 · $362,784

## Abstract

During embryonic development, cells are brought together by mechanochemical
means resulting in embryonic induction.  This milieu-dependent
differentiation gives rise in turn to tissues and organs.  The long term
goal of this proposal is to analyze how the cellular interactions of
embryonic induction lead to morphogenesis in normal development and how
derangements of these interactions give rise to developmental defects.
Because of the central role of cell contact in these events, our approach
has been to identify and chemically define the structure and activities of
cell adhesion molecules (CAMs).  Several CAMS have now been identified and
characterized in detail and cDNA probes for these molecules have been
defined.  Immunohistochemical studies show that CAMs are expressed at sites
of embryonic induction as well as at salient stages of tissue and organ
formation.  Early in development, this expression follows a definite set of
rules which are general to a great variety of tissues.  These observations
suggest that locale-specific regulation of defined molecules mediates the
pivotal process of cell adhesion in morphogenesis and histogenesis.

Two main complementary approaches will be used to extend and deepen this
conclusion.  First, detailed localization of CAMs in normally developing
tissues will be carried out by immunological and gene probe techniques and
correlated with known developmental interactions and processes.  Second,
the function of CAMs will be perturbed at different stages of development
and the biochemical and histological changes caused by the perturbations
will be analyzed in light of the localization studies.  Specifically we
will:  (1) make a detailed analysis of CAM expression in liver, kidney,
limb, and lung and in optic and otic placodes (2) use antibodies to perturb
CAM functions in organ and cell cultures of these tissues and in the intact
embryo at stages of development when inductive and morphogenetic events are
known to occur (3) continue studies to detect, isolate, and characterize
new CAMs (4) determine the role of CAMs in the formation of neuronal
connections in the cerebellum and the retinotectal system and (5) utilize
cultures of skin cells producing appendages such as feathers as well as
nervous tissue explants to define factors that are involved in the control
of CAM expression.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 2196680
- **Project number:** 5R37HD009635-20
- **Recipient organization:** SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, THE
- **SAM.gov UEI:** PHZJFZ32NKH4
- **Principal Investigator:** GERALD EDELMAN
- **Activity code:** R37 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1994
- **Award amount:** $362,784
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1992-07-01 → 1996-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2196680

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 2196680, CELL-CELL ADHESION AMONG EMBRYONIC CELLS (5R37HD009635-20). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/2196680. Licensed CC0.

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