CNR Institute of Neuroscience, Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, University of Milan, Italy.
Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2012 May;44(5):703-8. doi: 10.1016/j.biocel.2012.01.020. Epub 2012 Feb 3.
Tetraspanins are small transmembrane proteins present on the cell surface of almost every eukaryotic cell. Through binding with other transmembrane and intracellular proteins, they regulate diverse cellular processes ranging from cell adhesion and motility to synapse formation and tumor progression. Here, we provide a brief overview of molecular, cellular and clinical studies to illustrate how the multiple functions of this fascinating family of molecules stem from their interplay with multiple molecular partners. In particular, we emphasize the special relationship between tetraspanins and the cell adhesion molecules integrins in regulating cell physiology in health and disease.
四跨膜蛋白是存在于几乎所有真核细胞表面的小跨膜蛋白。通过与其他跨膜和细胞内蛋白结合，它们调节多种细胞过程，从细胞黏附和运动到突触形成和肿瘤进展。在这里，我们提供了分子、细胞和临床研究的简要概述，以说明这个迷人的分子家族的多种功能如何源于它们与多种分子伴侣的相互作用。特别是，我们强调了四跨膜蛋白与细胞黏附分子整合素之间的特殊关系，以调节健康和疾病中的细胞生理学。
