Apoptosis: conserved roles for integrins in clearance.
A recent study shows that one of the two known Caenorhabditis elegans homologs of the mammalian integrin alpha subunit plays an essential role in the clearance of apoptotic cells - efferocytosis - during nematode development. These new findings reveal that integrins have evolutionarily conserved functions in efferocytosis in metazoans.
D'mello
Veera
V
UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
Birge
Raymond B
RB
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D039001:Integrin alpha Chains / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D016023:Integrins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D039001:Integrin alpha Chains; D016023:Integrins