Cell adhesion is a fundamental biological process that plays crucial roles in many physiological processes and disease states, including tissue development, immune responses, wound healing, and cancer. It principally involves the attachment of cells to neighbouring cells or the extracellular matrix (ECM) and is mediated by specific molecular interactions. A key feature of cell adhesion is specificity. Cells possess a repertoire of specific adhesion molecules on their surface that interact with corresponding ligands on adjacent cells or the ECM. These adhesion molecules can be classified into different families and include cadherins, integrins, selectins, and immunoglobulin superfamily proteins. Each family exhibits distinct binding specificities, enabling precise cell-to-cell or cell-to-ECM recognition. This specificity ensures the appropriate cell-cell or cell-ECM contacts necessary for correct tissue organization and function. An important feature of cell adhesion is its dynamic nature and reversibility. Cells can modulate their adhesion strength and detach from, or adhere to, neighbouring cells or the ECM in response to external cues and signalling pathways. This dynamic regulation allows cells to respond to changing microenvironmental conditions and participate in processes like cell migration, tissue remodelling/wound healing, and immune surveillance. For example, integrin-mediated adhesion allows cells to respond to mechanical forces and adjust their adhesion strength, facilitating cell movement and tissue morphogenesis. Cell adhesion also exhibits a remarkable diversity in its modes of interaction. It can occur through either homophilic or heterophilic interactions. Homophilic adhesion involves the binding of identical adhesion molecules on the membrane surfaces of neighbouring cells. This type of interaction is commonly observed in the cadherin family, where cadherin proteins on one cell bind to cadherin proteins on an adjacent cell, establishing strong cell-cell adhesion. On the other hand, heterophilic adhesion involves the binding of different adhesion molecules, such as integrins, to their respective ligands in the ECM or on other cells. This type of interaction provides additional flexibility in cell adhesion, allowing cells to adhere to a variety of partners. Cell adhesion is not limited to static attachments but can involve more dynamic adhesive structures. Focal adhesions and adherens junctions (AJs) are two prominent examples of such dynamic structures. Focal adhesions are specialized multiprotein complexes formed at the interface between the cell and the ECM, where integrins connect the cell’s actin cytoskeleton to the ECM. They play a critical role in transmitting mechanical forces and in cell signalling, and cell migration. AJs are cell-cell adhesion structures characterized by the association of cadherin molecules with the actin cytoskeleton. AJs provide mechanical stability to tissues, regulate cell shape and polarity, and participate in cell signalling pathways. Finally, cell adhesion is not simply limited to physical interactions but also involves signalling. Cell adhesion molecules can transmit signals bidirectionally, both from the extracellular environment intracellularly and vice versa. Adhesion-mediated signalling can activate various intracellular pathways, including those involved in cell survival, proliferation, differentiation, and gene expression. This crosstalk between adhesion and signalling pathways is essential for coordinating cellular behaviour and tissue homeostasis. We provide a wide product range of research tools for studying cell adhesion, including CD31 antibodies, CD11b antibodies, beta Catenin antibodies, beta Catenin ELISA Kits, and VCAM1 ELISA Kits. Explore our full cell adhesion product range below and discover more, for less. Alternatively, you can explore our Integrins, Cadherins, and Cell Adhesion Molecules product ranges.