Molecular Playground/IntegrinBeta1: Difference between revisions

Due to their roles in both disease and cell-matrix interactions, there is a growing interest in studying integrin function ''in vitro''. Common approaches use simple end point gene or protein expression analysis, however, ''in vitro'' studies allow for functional analysis to observe intern binding interactions in single living cells. Tools include siRNA to prevent integrin gene expression, integrin binding peptides (i.e., the RGD peptide) which bind to integrins competitively with ECM proteins)<ref>PMID:7955174</ref>, and function-affecting antibodies which can bind to integrin heterodimers and prevent binding to the ECM<ref>PMID:9105051 </ref>. When beta1 dimerizes with alpha1, it can bind to both collagens I and IV as well as laminins <ref>PMID: 12662928</ref>, which are both large components of the ECM of many tissues. Integrin alpha1 beta1 binding to a function affecting integrin antibody is shown <scene name='60/609777/With_antibody/4'>here. Chains A and B of the I domain are blue, and the heavy and light chains of the Fab fragment are red. </scene> These tools are especially useful when microenvironment stiffness<ref>PMID:20939067</ref> or composition<ref>PMID:15183609</ref> are controlled, allowing for examination of the effect of each of these cues on downstream signaling.