Integrin

Integrins are cell-surface receptor proteins that connect extracellular matrix proteins to the cytoskeleton. They also transmit signals across the cell membrane and regulate adhesion, movement, and survival.

Integrin activation: The conformational and organizational changes that increase an integrin’s affinity for its ligands. Inside-out and outside-in signals regulate how firmly integrins bind the extracellular matrix.
Integrin heterodimer: A receptor formed from one alpha and one beta integrin subunit. Each integrin is built from paired subunits whose combination shapes its ligand preferences.
Platelet aggregation: The joining of platelets into a mass at a site of blood-vessel injury. Platelet integrin αIIbβ3 binds fibrinogen to link platelets during clot formation.
Cadherin: A family of cell-surface proteins that mediate calcium-dependent adhesion between neighboring cells. Cadherins primarily bind other cells, whereas integrins commonly bind extracellular matrix.
Cell migration: The directed movement of a cell from one location to another. Cells form and release integrin-mediated attachments as they move across extracellular matrix.
Talin: A cytoskeletal protein that binds integrin tails and helps activate integrins. Talin links integrin activation to the actin cytoskeleton.
Integrin alpha subunit: The larger, ligand-recognition subunit of an integrin heterodimer. Alpha subunits help determine which extracellular ligands a particular integrin can bind.
Leukocyte adhesion cascade: The sequence of interactions that allows white blood cells to attach to and cross blood-vessel walls. Leukocyte integrins mediate firm adhesion before immune cells exit the bloodstream.
Selectin: A family of cell-adhesion proteins that bind specific carbohydrate groups. Selectins mediate transient cell-cell contacts, unlike integrins’ broader roles in firm adhesion and matrix attachment.
Anoikis: A form of programmed cell death triggered by loss of appropriate attachment to the extracellular matrix. Integrin-mediated attachment supplies survival signals that can prevent anoikis.

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