Integrins are a large family of trasmembrane proteins involved in cell adhesion and form a link between the intracellular cyskeletal proteins and extracellular matrix proteins. Integrins exist as heterodimers consisting of alpha and beta subunits. In addition to cell adhesion these integrin complexes play key roles in diverse processes such as signal transduction, cell migration, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Integrins consist of three domains: the extracellular domain, the transmembrane domain, and the cytoplasmic tail.
