Brower Danny L
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Life Sciences, South Building, 1007 East Lowell Street, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2003 Oct;15(5):607-13. doi: 10.1016/s0955-0674(03)00102-9.
The integrin family of cell surface receptors is strongly conserved in metazoans, making simple invertebrate genetic systems valuable contributors to understanding integrin function. The Drosophila integrins have long served as a paradigm for genetic studies of adhesion proteins during development. Currently, Drosophila experiments are exploring more general aspects of integrin biology. Genetic screens are identifying proteins involved in integrin adhesion complexes and signaling, and structures such as embryonic muscle attachments can be manipulated experimentally to dissect the functions of cytoplasmic components of integrin adhesion sites in whole animals. Drosophila also is beginning to yield some insights into integrin heterodimer structure and function.
细胞表面受体的整合素家族在后生动物中高度保守，这使得简单的无脊椎动物遗传系统成为理解整合素功能的重要贡献者。长期以来，果蝇整合素一直是发育过程中粘附蛋白遗传学研究的范例。目前，果蝇实验正在探索整合素生物学更广泛的方面。遗传筛选正在识别参与整合素粘附复合物和信号传导的蛋白质，并且可以通过实验操作诸如胚胎肌肉附着等结构，以剖析全动物中整合素粘附位点细胞质成分的功能。果蝇也开始在整合素异二聚体结构和功能方面提供一些见解。
