Topic: integrins

Integrins are biomechanical receptors that connect both physically and functionally the extracellular matrix (ECM) to the intracellular cytoskeleton, regulating synaptic connectivity and plasticity in response to extracellular cues. In particular, in the brain, β3 integrin interacts with the αV subunit to form the αVβ3 integrin heterodimer, which mediates adhesion strengthening of excitatory synapses in cortical pyramidal neurons.Alteration in integrin structure, expression or signalling is involved in the aetiology of various brain pathologies, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and epi