Integrins in Health and Disease

Integrins are heterodimeric cell surface receptors which anchor cells to different extracellular matrix proteins or act as cell-cell receptors. They play pivotal roles not only across a wide range of physiological processes including tissue morphogenesis, wound healing, and regulation of cell growth, but also in numerous pathological conditions such as autoimmunity, infectious disease, and carcinogenesis. This book aims to provide readers a summary of the most important integrins and their respective biological functions. Readers will learn about knockout- and animal models to study the functionality of key collagen-, laminin-, and nephronectin-binding integrins. Additionally, the role of integrins in pathological tissue remodeling in joints and in developing and diseased cardiac tissue are discussed. Reviews of the current knowledge of the role of integrins in tissue and tumor fibrosis, angiogenesis and tumor progression are an important part of this work. Finally, the book discusses integrins in the context of the immune system, how to target integrin-ligand interactions with antibodies, and the role of integrins as receptors for bacterial and viral cell invasion. Both experienced researchers and clinicians, as well as PhD students who wish to study the extracellular matrix and cell adhesion molecules will find “Integrins in Health and Disease - Key Effectors of Cell-Matrix and Cell-Cell Interactions” authoritative, easily accessible, and vastly informative. The series Biology of Extracellular Matrix is published in collaboration with the American Society for Matrix Biology and the International Society for Matrix Biology.