The origins of the molecular era of adhesion research

Although the physiological importance of adhesion was appreciated early in the twentieth century, understanding its molecular basis was challenging. The development of complementary biochemical and immunological approaches facilitated the discovery of the cadherins, integrins and other major adhesion families and led to the molecular era of adhesion research and the formation of a new research community. Recognition of the importance of cell adhesion grew steadily during the twentieth century as it promised answers to fundamental questions in diverse fields that included cell biology, developmental biology, tumorigenesis, immunology and neurobiology. However, the route towards a better understanding of its molecular basis was long and difficult, with many false starts. Major progress was made in the late 1970s to late 1980s with the identification of the major families of adhesion molecules, including integrins and cadherins. This in turn set the stage for the explosive growth in adhesion research over the past 25 years.