Nectins are Ca²⁺-independent immunoglobulin-like cell adhesion molecules that localize at adherens junctions between two neighboring cells. They play an important role in mediating asymmetric homotypic and heterotypic cell–cell adhesions. The nectin family contains four members, nectin-1-4, which are encoded by the PVRL1-4 genes, respectively. Nectin-3 is localized mostly in dendrites and partly in axons and is crucial for the specific interactions between axons and dendrites and proper formation of the synapse^1,2. Its structure consists of an extracellular region with three immunoglobulin-like loops, one V type and two C2 types.

Nectins binds afadin at its c-terminal region and connects to the actin cytoskeleton. This interaction plays a major role in the formation of various cell–cell junctions in cooperation with or independently of cadherins cell adhesion molecules^1,2_.

Nectins also regulates numerous cellular functions, such as cell movement, proliferation, polarization, survival and differentiation by interacting with various proteins¹.