Genetic Analyses of Integrin Signaling

  1. Reinhard Fässler2
  1. 1Paul Gerson Una Group, Skin Homeostasis and Ageing, Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, 50937 Cologne, Germany
  2. 2Department of Molecular Medicine, Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
  1. Correspondence: wickstroem{at}age.mpg.de; faessler{at}biochem.mpg.de

Abstract

The development of multicellular organisms, as well as maintenance of organ architecture and function, requires robust regulation of cell fates. This is in part achieved by conserved signaling pathways through which cells process extracellular information and translate this information into changes in proliferation, differentiation, migration, and cell shape. Gene deletion studies in higher eukaryotes have assigned critical roles for components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and their cellular receptors in a vast number of developmental processes, indicating that a large proportion of this signaling is regulated by cell-ECM interactions. In addition, genetic alterations in components of this signaling axis play causative roles in several human diseases. This review will discuss what genetic analyses in mice and lower organisms have taught us about adhesion signaling in development and disease.

Footnotes

  • Editors: Richard Hynes and Kenneth Yamada

  • Additional Perspectives on Extracellular Matrix Biology available at www.cshperspectives.org



Also in this Collection

      | Table of Contents

      This Article

      1. Cold Spring Harb. Perspect. Biol. 3: a005116 Copyright © 2011 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved

      Article Category

      Updates/Comments

      1. Submit Updates/Comments
      2. No Updates/Comments published

      Subject Collections

      1. Extracellular Matrix Biology

      Share

      In this Collection