Alpha N-catenin (also known as catenin alpha-2, CTNNA2) belongs to the alpha catenin family, whose members are involved in cell adhesion. It is a cadherin-binding protein, widely expressed in the nervous system, and it plays a crucial role in cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion. It has diverse roles in the organisation of the central nervous system, but only in limited portions of the brain [, ]. It is required for proper regulation of cortical neuronal migration and neurite growth []. Alpha N-catenin can be recruited to the nucleus upon ZNF639 overexpression []. In mice alpha N-catenin is a key regulator for the stability of synaptic contacts [].
