Description
Members of the ADAM or MDC (Metalloprotease, Disintegrin, Cysteine-rich) family contain pro, metalloprotease-like, disintegrin-like, cysteine-rich, transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains. They play a fundamental role in diverse processes such as asthma, development, angiogenesis and cancer through their activities in cell adhesion/fusion, membrane protein shedding, and signal transduction. Over 30 members have been identified and about half of them are active metalloproteases such as ADAM8, 9, 10, 12 and 17/TACE