Integrins: regulators of tissue function and cancer progression
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Studying TGF-β Signaling and TGF-β-induced Epithelial-to-mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer and Normal Cells
Published on: October 27, 2020
1Division of Cell Biology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. e.danen@nki.nl
Abstract:
Integrins are adhesion receptors that connect cells to components of the extracellular matrix or to counter receptors on other cells. Besides mediating stable adhesion, these receptors are implicated in the deposition of extracellular matrices and they are crucial for cell migration. Integrin-mediated adhesion also modulates signal transduction cascades downstream of other receptors and thereby regulates cell survival, proliferation, and the expression of differentiation-related genes. In this review, an overview of the evidence for roles of integrins in tissue development and function is given and the contribution of changes in integrin expression to cancer is discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Activation of Integrins
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.
Integrins
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,...
Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions
Some...
Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
Cadherins in Tissue Organization
Cell Sorting During Development
Cell sorting plays an...
Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...

