title: Inside-out integrin signalling.
abstract: Integrins are expressed by virtually all cells and play key roles in a range of cellular processes. Changes in the integrin surface repertoire provide a means of altering the strength and ligand preferences of cell adhesion. Recent research has examined the affinity modulation of integrins, a rapid and versatile mechanism of cell adhesion regulation. Studies with a prototype, alpha IIb beta 3, indicate that intracellular events influence the conformation and ligand-binding affinity of the extracellular domain of integrins. This 'inside-out' signal transduction appears to be mediated through the integrin cytoplasmic domains. In addition, in some cases affinity modulation of integrins may be cell-type specific. The clarification of the mechanisms of integrin affinity modulation should help explain rapid changes in cell adhesion that occur during cell migration, aggregation and the cell cycle.
authors.affiliation: Committee on Vascular Biology, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ginsberg
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Plow
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D006801:Humans; D016023:Integrins / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D016023:Integrins