Description
Integrin family members are membrane receptors involved in cell adhesion and recognition in a variety of processes including embryogenesis, hemostasis, tissue repair, immune response and metastatic diffusion of tumor cells. Integrins link the actin cytoskeleton with the extracellular matrix and they transmit signals bidirectionally between the extracellular matrix and cytoplasmic domains. Beta-integrins are primarily responsible for targeting integrin dimers to the appropriate subcellular locations, which in adhesive cells is mainly focal adhesions. Integrin beta-1 mutants lose the ability to target to sites of focal adhesions. [Wiki]