CONFERENCE ON FIBRONECTIN, INTEGRINS & RELATED MOLECULES

细胞与细胞外基质相互作用的研究已经爆炸 在过去的10年里。 纤连蛋白是 细胞外基质分子的戈登会议， 1982年 在20世纪80年代中期发现了整合素，作为 纤维连接蛋白和细胞外基质的其他成分扩张 会议的范围。 纤连蛋白和整合素 控制许多基本的生物过程，包括细胞粘附， 确定细胞的形状，组织的细胞骨架和 细胞外基质，形态发生和组织调节 相互作用、免疫细胞运输和止血。 重要 在过去的2-4年里，人们形成了如下见解。 的 整合素的活化状态受到严格调节，并且在 确定它们结合配体和结合信号的能力。 在粘附位点组装的信号复合物 细胞骨架成分、非受体酪氨酸激酶和其他 信号转导的介质。 整合素连接激活类似的下游信号通路， 生长因子受体。 事实上，整合素和生长 因子受体可以在单独的情况下有效地发出信号。 沿着这些路线，单一的细胞外基质成分，包括 纤连蛋白和胶原蛋白，最近已经报道直接结合， 和/或激活受体酪氨酸激酶以及整联蛋白。 最后，新的配体家族：去整合素， 其他类型的整合素相关蛋白：TM-4蛋白， 进一步拓宽了整合素发挥作用的范围。 的 在本申请中概述的会议旨在传达 这些令人兴奋的新发展和刺激的讨论， 来自不同学科的参与者。 这种异花授粉 最有效的方式来刺激新的洞察力和 信息.

Research on cell interactions with extracellular matrix has exploded over the past 10 years. Fibronectin has been the prototype extracellular matrix molecule for this Gordon Conference, which started in 1982. The discovery of integrins in the mid 1980's, as receptors for fibronectin and other constituents of the extracellular matrix expanded the scope of the conference. Together, fibronectin and integrins control many basic biologic processes, including cell adhesion, determination of cell shape, organization of the cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix, regulation of morphogenesis and tissue interactions, immune cell trafficking, and hemostasis. Important insights have developed over the past 2-4 years, as follows. The activation state of integrins is tightly regulated, and is critical in determining their ability to bind ligand and to transduce signals. Signaling complexes assembled at adhesion sites bring together cytoskeletal components, nonreceptor tyrosine kinases, and other mediators of signal transduction. Integrin ligation activates similar downstream signaling pathways as receptors for growth factors. In fact neither integrins nor growth factor receptors may be able signal effectively in isolation. Along these lines, single extracellular matrix components, including fibronectin and collagen, have recently been reported to bind directly, and/or activate, receptor tyrosine kinases as well as integrins. Finally, new families of ligands: the disintegrins, and the emergence of other classes of integrin-associated proteins: the TM-4 proteins, have further broadened the context within which integrins function. The conference outlined in this application is directed at communicating these exciting new developments and at stimulating discussion among participants from different disciplines. This cross pollination is a most effective way of stimulating yet new waves of insight and information.