Cadherin-11 (CDH11)

Cadherin‑11 is a type II classical cadherin encoded by the CDH11 gene in humans. It is an integral membrane glycoprotein that mediates calcium-dependent homophilic cell-cell adhesion. Unlike type I cadherins, Cadherin‑11 lacks the HAV recognition sequence but retains a similar overall structure with a large extracellular domain for binding calcium ions and facilitating intercellular connections. It plays a critical role in bone development and maintenance due to its expression in osteoblastic cells and upregulation during differentiation. Functionally, Cadherin‑11 regulates cellular motility by promoting actin cytoskeletal reorganization and dynamic remodeling of adherens junctions. Pathologically, it is overexpressed in certain cancers such as breast cancer—where it contributes to tumor progression—and has been implicated in inflammatory conditions like arthritis. The anti-inflammatory drug celecoxib has been shown to bind Cadherin‑11 directly. Alternative names include OB-cadherin and Osteoblast cadherin.

Other names

CAD11OB-cadherinOsteoblast cadherinOSF-4CDHOB

Inhibition of cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion to reduce pathological tissue remodeling or tumor progression