Receptors for laminins during epithelial morphogenesis.
Laminin-1 is expressed by many embryonic epithelial cell types. It binds to receptors on the epithelial cell surface. The integrin alpha6beta1 is a well known laminin-1 receptor that is expressed on many embryonic epithelial cells. More recently, dystroglycan was discovered as a high-affinity receptor for laminin-1 and laminin-2. It is expressed not only by muscle cells but also by embryonic epithelial cells. In embryonic epithelia, dystroglycan may act by binding to the E3 fragment of laminin-1. Integrins and the dystroglycan complex seems to be important for epithelial morphogenesis, but the relative roles of these two receptor systems for epithelial cells are still unclear.
Ekblom
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P
Department of Animal Physiology, Uppsala University Biomedical Center, Box 596, Husargatan 3, S-75124 Uppsala, Sweden. Peter.Ekblom@zoofys.uu.se
D000818:Animals; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D005109:Extracellular Matrix; D006801:Humans; D009024:Morphogenesis; D017474:Receptors, Laminin / Q000378:metabolism*
D017474:Receptors, Laminin