Integrins during muscle development and in muscular dystrophies

Cellular interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM) have been shown to be important for a number of developmental events from the time of fertilization up till the maturation of the organism. In the following review we will discuss what is currently known about these interactions with special emphasis on the role of integrins during the formation of skeletal muscle. The importance of cell-ECM interactions will also be illustrated by a discussion of what happens when these interactions go awry, as happens in muscular dystrophies.