Integrin cytoplasmic domain-binding proteins

Integrins are a large family of cell surface receptors that mediate cell ad hesion and influence migration, signal transduction, and gene expression. T he cytoplasmic domains of integrins play a pivotal role in these integrin-m ediated cellular functions. Through interaction with the cytoskeleton, sign aling molecules, and other cellular proteins, integrin cytoplasmic domains transduce signals from both the outside and inside of the cell and regulate integrin-mediated biological functions. Identification and functional anal yses of integrin cytoplasmic domain-binding proteins have been pursued inte nsively. In recent years, more cellular proteins have been reported to dire ctly interact with integrin cytoplasmic domains and some of these interacti ons may play important roles in integrin-mediated biological responses. Int egrin beta chains, for example, interact with actin-binding proteins (e.g, talin and filamin), which form mechanical links to the cytoskeleton, These and other proteins (e.g. FAK, ILK and novel proteins such as TAP20) might a lso link integrins to signaling mechanisms and, in some cases (e.g. JAB1) m ediate integrin-dependent gene regulation.