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Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Molecular Analysis of Endothelial-mesenchymal Transition Induced by Transforming Growth Factor-β Signaling
Published on: August 3, 2018
TGF-beta enhances the integrin alpha2beta1-mediated attachment of mesenchymal stem cells to type I collagen
Katrin Warstat1, Diana Meckbach, Michaela Weis-Klemm
1Center for Regenerative Biology and Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Abstract:
The heterodimeric integrins are important receptors for the attachment of cells to their extracellular matrix. Here, we studied the attachment of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to type I collagen (col-1), which is part of the extracellular matrix in bone, skin, and connective tissues. Furthermore, we examined how TGF-beta influences the integrin expression and attachment of MSC. Using flow cytometry, immunoblot, and RT-PCR, we report that MSC express several integrin subunits, including the alpha(2)beta(1) integrin (VLA-2, CD49b/CD29). TGF-beta increases the expression of integrin subunits alpha(2), alpha(6), and beta(1) in MSC, thereby enhancing the attachment of MSC to col-1. The TGF-beta-mediated up-regulation of the expression of the integrin subunits alpha(2) and alpha(6) is mainly mediated in MSC by Smad2.
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