Integrin
Integrin - Related Videos
01:10
Integrins
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2023
Animal and protozoan cells do not have cell walls to help maintain shape and provide structural stability. Instead, these eukaryotic cells secrete a sticky mass of carbohydrates and proteins into the spaces between adjacent cells. This network of proteins and molecules is called an extracellular matrix or ECM. Some ECM proteins assemble into a basement membrane to which the remaining components adhere. Proteoglycans typically form the bulk of the ECM while fibrous proteins, like collagen,...
01:15
Activation of Integrins
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2023
Integrins bind ligands and transmit information from outside the cell to inside or vice-versa through an "outside-in signaling" or "inside-out signaling." In "outside-in signaling," external factors in the extracellular space bind to exposed ligand binding sites on integrins. This causes the inactive protein to undergo a conformational change to become active. Integrins are often clustered on the cell membrane. Repetitive and regularly spaced ligand binding events provide an effective stimulus.
09:14
Static Adhesion Assay for the Study of Integrin Activation in T Lymphocytes
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Cited by 21 •
2014
Static adhesion assay is a powerful tool that can be used to model the interactions between T lymphocytes and other cell types. Interactions are generated by injecting labeled T cells into wells coated with adhesion molecules, while a plate reader is used to quantify the number of adherent cells following serial washes.
04:15
A Flow Cytometry-Based High-Throughput Technique for Screening Integrin-Inhibitory Drugs
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2024
This protocol describes a flow cytometry-based, high-throughput screening method to identify small-molecule drugs that inhibit β2 integrin activation on human neutrophils.
07:20
Imaging Integrin Tension and Cellular Force at Submicron Resolution with an Integrative Tension Sensor
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Cited by 7 •
2019
Integrin tension plays important roles in various cell functions. With an integrative tension sensor, integrin tension is calibrated with picoNewton (pN) sensitivity and imaged at submicron resolution.
FAQs
Integrins support two-way communication between the cell interior and its surroundings. Ligand binding outside the cell can trigger inward signals, while intracellular cues can change the receptor’s affinity for external ligands. This bidirectional regulation allows cells to adjust adhesion and behavior according to both extracellular conditions and internal signaling states.
The paired α and β subunits give each integrin its functional organization. Together, they participate in recognizing specific external ligands, while the intracellular portions connect the receptor to cytoskeletal and signaling machinery. Differences in subunit pairing therefore help determine how a cell responds to particular extracellular contacts and regulates its behavior.
By connecting external adhesion sites with the actin cytoskeleton, integrins provide a physical route for coordinating cell shape and movement with environmental signals. Their association with signaling proteins further converts adhesion into intracellular responses. This linkage is especially important when cells must reorganize, move through tissues, or maintain appropriate contact with surrounding structures.
During wound healing, integrin-mediated contacts help cells interact with the extracellular matrix and coordinate movement across the damaged area. Signals generated through these receptors can connect external attachment with cytoskeletal activity, allowing cells to reorganize and migrate. Their combined adhesive and signaling roles therefore contribute to restoring tissue organization after injury.
Integrins help regulate the movement and positioning of cells during immune-cell trafficking and biological development. Their ability to connect cells with extracellular structures and neighboring cells provides both physical adhesion and signaling input. These functions allow cellular movements and tissue organization to respond to changing local environments during normal biological processes.
Integrins are studied in these conditions because altered adhesion and signaling can influence how cells interact with tissues and with one another. Their participation in tumor invasion, inflammation, and vascular disease makes them useful for examining disease mechanisms. These roles also identify integrins as potential targets when researchers investigate therapeutic strategies.