Molecular View of the Integrin Cell Adhesion Receptors

概要

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Specific cellular adhesion events exerted by specific cell surface receptors are recurring theme in general cell biological studies. Among those receptors, integrins mediate both cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions and play central roles in the processes such as embryonic development, differentiation, cancer metastasis, and wound healing. In this review, I will focus on the recent advances in the structural analysis of ligand-binding site of integrins as well as in the understanding about functional regulation of integrins at a molecular level. Both α and β subunits contain specialized binding module in their N-terminal regions and they comprise functional ligand-binding domain in the heterodimer complex. The intracellular portion of both integrin chains make contact with various cytoplasmic components which link them to the cytoskeletal network. These two interfaces located at the opposite extremities of the molecule both seem to be involved in the active regulation of receptor function. Structural analysis of integrins can increase our understanding on the detailed molecular events that precede and follow ligand binding to this class of receptors.
日本結合組織学会の論文
1998-09-25