INTEGRINS, ADHESION AND APOPTOSIS

Integrin-mediated adhesion to extracellular matrix proteins is require d for survival of many cell types. This phenomenon appears to be a mec hanism of tumour suppression and to participate in embryogenesis. Here , our current understanding of how integrin-dependent signals prevent apoptosis and implications of anchorage-dependent survival for develop ment physiology and pathology are discussed.