Functional domains of cell adhesion molecules.

A number of molecules involved in cell adhesion (e.g. fibronectin, laminin, collagens I and IV, thrombospondin, entactin) have now been identified and the consequent roles that they play in the processes of growth, migration, differentiation and tumor spread have been described. Active sequences of the molecules have been identified using synthetic peptides derived from specific domains. Several adhesive molecules contain multiple active domains with different biological activities.