Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 22, 2026

Static Adhesion Assay for the Study of Integrin Activation in T Lymphocytes
Published on: June 13, 2014
Integrins and tetraspanins mediate CD36-actin coupling and regulate CD36 organization and signaling
Soma Jana1, Huong-Tra Ngo1, Han Huang2
1Department of Biophysics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
None:
Submembrane cortical actin (CA) plays a large role in regulating the dynamic organization of cell surface receptors, which in turn regulates receptor signaling. Many receptors have short intracellular domains and no known link to actin. Here, we identified the β1-integrin subunit and several tetraspanins (CD9, CD81, and CD151) as part of the hitherto unknown molecular link between the receptor CD36 and CA. Our data indicate that CD36 in vascular endothelial cells interacts with these proteins, with stronger interactions near the cell edge. Compromising these interactions via the point mutation G12V in the N-terminal transmembrane domain of CD36 alters the dynamic organization of CD36 on the cell surface and weakens its coupling to CA dynamics. Moreover, it abolishes thrombospondin-1-induced CD36 signaling through the Src family kinase Fyn. Given their many interactions with transmembrane proteins, tetraspanins and integrins may provide a ubiquitous mechanism for plasma membrane-CA coupling.
Related Concept Videos
Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions
Some...
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,...
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.
Catenins
Catenins in Cell Junctions
Catenins bind to cell adhesion molecules such as cadherins and link them to different cytoskeletal proteins depending on the type of cell junction. At the adherens...
Anchoring Junctions
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 homology) domains...

