Sheppard D
Lung Biology Center, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
Bioessays. 1996 Aug;18(8):655-60. doi: 10.1002/bies.950180809.
The integrin family was originally described as a family of adhesion receptors, utilized by cells for attachment to and migration across components of the extracellular matrix. Epithelial cells in adult tissues are generally stationary cells, but these cells nevertheless express several different integrins. This review will discuss the evidence that integrins on epithelial cells are also likely to function as signaling molecules, allowing these cells to detect attachment or detachment, and changes in the local composition of ligands. Signals initiated by integrins appear to modulate epithelial cell differentiation, proliferation, survival, and gene expression. Because the local concentration of integrin ligands is altered by injury, inflammation, and remodeling, signals initiated through integrins are likely to play important roles in the responses of epithelial cells to each of these processes.
整合素家族最初被描述为一类黏附受体家族，细胞利用它们附着于细胞外基质成分并在其上迁移。成体组织中的上皮细胞通常是静止细胞，但这些细胞仍表达几种不同的整合素。本综述将讨论上皮细胞上的整合素也可能作为信号分子发挥作用的证据，使这些细胞能够检测附着或脱离情况以及配体局部组成的变化。整合素引发的信号似乎可调节上皮细胞的分化、增殖、存活和基因表达。由于整合素配体的局部浓度会因损伤、炎症和重塑而改变，通过整合素引发的信号很可能在上皮细胞对这些过程中每一个过程的反应中发挥重要作用。
