[Integrins: their structures, functions and gene expressions in the central nervous system. Acta anat].
More than ten years have passed since integrin was shown to function in cellular attachment. To date integrin research has been one of major fields in cell biology. Integrin, which functions as an integrator of both extra- and intracellular skeletal molecules, is regarded as one of the essential molecules for cellular signal transduction as well. Thus, integrin appears to be essential and indispensable for many cellular phenomena. Although every type of cell is thought to express a few kinds of integrin molecules, their expression and functional roles in neurons remain to be determined. Both intensive and extensive researches should reveal one by one how integrins are involved in the neural network formation in development, neuronal plasticity and regeneration, higher function of CNS, and also neuronal degeneration in both inflammation and degenerative diseases.
Murase
S
S
Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
Hayashi
Y
Y
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D015870:Gene Expression; D016023:Integrins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015398:Signal Transduction
D016023:Integrins