Junctional protein associated with coronary artery disease
JCAD is a component of VE-cadherin-based cell-cell junctions in endothelial cells. The cell-cell or adherens junction is an adhesion complex that plays a crucial role in the organization and function of epithelial and endothelial cellular sheets. These junctions join the actin cytoskeleton to the plasma membrane to form adhesive contacts between cells or between cells and extracellular matrix. The junctions also mediate both cell adhesion and cell-signalling. JCAD localizes close to the apical membrane in epithelial cells. This family is found in eukaryotes.