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Integrins

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Animal and protozoan cells do not have cell walls to help maintain shape and provide structural stability. Instead, these eukaryotic cells secrete a sticky mass of carbohydrates and proteins into the spaces between adjacent cells. This network of proteins and molecules is called an extracellular matrix or ECM.
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Integrins act both as extracellular input receivers and as intracellular processing activators. As their name suggests, integrins are entirely integrated into the membrane structure. Their hydrophobic membrane-spanning regions interact with the phospholipid bilayer's hydrophobic region. These membrane receptors provide extracellular attachment sites for effectors like hormones and growth factors. They activate intracellular response cascades when their effectors are bound and active.
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Cell adhesion is an essential aspect of multicellularity. While stable cell interactions usually occur between cells of the same type, transient cell interactions occur between cells of different tissue types, such as between neutrophils and endothelial cells. Selectins are one class of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) that bind carbohydrate ligands to form transient cell adhesion. They are rod-like proteins with a long extracellular part of variable length ending with the lectin domain, which...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 4, 2026

An Orthotopic Murine Model of Human Prostate Cancer Metastasis

An Orthotopic Murine Model of Human Prostate Cancer Metastasis

Published on: September 18, 2013

Integrins in prostate cancer progression.

Hira Lal Goel¹, Jing Li, Sophia Kogan

¹Department of Cancer Biology and Cancer Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA.

Endocrine-Related Cancer

|June 6, 2008

Summary

Integrins are crucial for cell functions and are altered in prostate cancer. This review explores their role in cancer progression and potential as therapeutic targets.

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Area of Science:

Cell biology
Cancer research
Molecular medicine

Background:

Integrins are transmembrane receptors binding extracellular matrix proteins.
They regulate critical cell functions like survival, proliferation, and migration.
Integrin dysregulation is implicated in various cancers, notably prostate cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the role of integrins in prostate cancer progression.
To discuss integrins as potential therapeutic targets for prostate cancer.

Main Methods:

Literature review of studies on integrins in prostate cancer.
Analysis of integrin function, expression, and deregulation in prostate cancer.

Main Results:

Integrins significantly influence prostate cancer cell survival, proliferation, migration, and gene expression.
Specific integrins are overexpressed or altered during prostate cancer progression.
Targeting integrins may offer novel therapeutic strategies.

Conclusions:

Integrins are key players in prostate cancer pathogenesis.
Modulating integrin function presents a promising avenue for prostate cancer treatment.