Integrin structure: heady advances in ligand binding, but activation still makes the knees wobble.
Integrins are one of the major families of cell-adhesion receptors. In the past year, the first structure of an integrin has been published, ligand-binding pockets have been defined, and mechanisms of receptor priming and activation elucidated. Like all major advances, however, these studies have raised more questions than they have answered about issues such as the mechanisms underlying ligand-binding specificity and long-range conformational regulation.
Humphries
Martin J
MJ
Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, School of Biological Sciences, 2.205 Stopford Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, UK M13 9PT. martin.humphries@man.ac.uk
McEwan
Paul A
PA
Barton
Stephanie J
SJ
Buckley
Patrick A
PA
Bella
Jordi
J
Mould
A Paul
AP
D002448:Cell Adhesion; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000737:chemistry; D016023:Integrins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D008024:Ligands; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D015398:Signal Transduction
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D016023:Integrins; D008024:Ligands