Integrins: versatility, modulation, and signaling in cell adhesion

RO Hynes - Cell, 1992 - Elsevier
RO Hynes
Cell, 1992Elsevier
The recognition of integrins as a widely expressed family of cell surface adhesion receptors
is around five years old (Hynes, 1987). At that time, one could identify about ten distinct
vertebrate integrins; there are now about twenty, and the number is still rising. lntegrins
appear to be the major receptors by which cells attach to extracellular matrices, and some
integrins also mediate important cell-cell adhesion events. Through these functions they
play important roles both in development and in adult organisms. Several human genetic …
The recognition of integrins as a widely expressed family of cell surface adhesion receptors is around five years old (Hynes, 1987). At that time, one could identify about ten distinct vertebrate integrins; there are now about twenty, and the number is still rising. lntegrins appear to be the major receptors by which cells attach to extracellular matrices, and some integrins also mediate important cell-cell adhesion events. Through these functions they play important roles both in development and in adult organisms. Several human genetic diseases affecting integrins demonstrate their importance in various physiological and pathological processes, and the ability to interfere with integrin functions using antibodies or peptides offers many opportunities for therapeutic intervention in diseases as diverse as thrombosis, inflammation, and cancer. Because of these multifarious roles, integrins have been intensively studied by scientists in many different fields, and more than one integrin paper a day is now published. Despite this plethora of information, it is possible to discern common principles, and, in this brief review, I will attempt some generalizations and syntheses to make the field accessible to the nonspecialist. In particular, I will focus on recent evidence concerning regulation of integrin affinities and signaling events mediated by integrins.
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