“…At cell-cell junctions, adherens junction plays particularly an important role in the sense that the formation of other cell junctions are dependent on the formation of adherens junction (for reviews, see Geiger and Ginsberg, 1991;Tsukita et al, 1992;Takeichi, 1995). At adherens junction, cadherins interact with each other at the extracellular surface and serve as adhesion molecules (for reviews, see Geiger and Ginsberg, 1991;Tsukita et al, 1992;Takeichi, 1995). Cadherins indirectly interact at the cytoplasmic region with the actin cytoskeleton through many peripheral membrane proteins, including a-, b-, and g-catenins, p120, a-actinin, vinculin, neurabin, and afadin (Vestweber and Kemler, 1984;Peyrieras et al, 1985;Ozawa et al, 1989;Shibamoto et al, 1995;Nakanishi et al, 1997;Mandai et al, 1997).…”