Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 4, 2026

Adhesion Frequency Assay for In Situ Kinetics Analysis of Cross-Junctional Molecular Interactions at the Cell-Cell Interface
Published on: November 2, 2011
Molecular dynamics simulations to the bidirectional adhesion signaling pathway of integrin αV β3
1Institut für Biochemie, Universität Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
Abstract:
The bidirectional force transmission process of integrin through the cell membrane is still not well understood. Several possible mechanisms have been discussed in literature on the basis of experimental data, and in this study, we investigate these mechanisms by free and steered molecular dynamics simulations. For the first time, constant velocity pulling on the complete integrin molecule inside a dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine membrane is conducted. From the results, the most likely mechanism for inside-out and outside-in signaling is the switchblade model with further separation of the transmembrane helices.
Related Concept Videos
Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions
Some...
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...
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,...
Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules
Ig-CAMs exhibit either homophilic binding (to other Ig-CAMs) or heterophilic binding (to other ligands such as integrins). While most Ig-CAMs...
Tension Response at Adherens Junctions
α-Catenin as a Mechanosensory Protein
The α-catenin of adherens junctions is an allosteric protein with three VH (vinculin...
Adhesion
Capillary action is a result of water’s adhesive tendencies. When a narrow...

