Integrin alpha-3 is a
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...
that in humans is encoded by the ''ITGA3''
gene
In biology, the word gene has two meanings. The Mendelian gene is a basic unit of heredity. The molecular gene is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is transcribed to produce a functional RNA. There are two types of molecular genes: protei ...
.
ITGA3 is an
integrin
Integrins are transmembrane receptors that help cell–cell and cell–extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion. Upon ligand binding, integrins activate signal transduction pathways that mediate cellular signals such as regulation of the cell cycle, o ...
alpha subunit. Together with
beta-1 subunit, it makes up half of the α3β1 integrin duplex that plays a role in neural migration and
corticogenesis
The development of the cerebral cortex, known as corticogenesis is the process during which the cerebral cortex of the brain is formed as part of the development of the nervous system of mammals including development of the nervous system in humans ...
, acted upon by such factors as
netrin-1 and
reelin.
ITGA3 encodes the
integrin
Integrins are transmembrane receptors that help cell–cell and cell–extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion. Upon ligand binding, integrins activate signal transduction pathways that mediate cellular signals such as regulation of the cell cycle, o ...
alpha 3 chain. Integrins are hetero
dimeric integral membrane
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...
s composed of an alpha chain and a beta chain. Alpha chain 3 undergoes post-translational cleavage in the extracellular domain to yield
disulfide
In chemistry, a disulfide (or disulphide in British English) is a compound containing a functional group or the anion. The linkage is also called an SS-bond or sometimes a disulfide bridge and usually derived from two thiol groups.
In inorg ...
-linked light and heavy chains that join with beta 1 to form an integrin that interacts with many
extracellular matrix
In biology, the extracellular matrix (ECM), also called intercellular matrix (ICM), is a network consisting of extracellular macromolecules and minerals, such as collagen, enzymes, glycoproteins and hydroxyapatite that provide structural and bio ...
proteins.
Alternative names
The alpha 3 beta 1 integrin is known variously as: very late (activation) antigen 3 ('VLA-3'), very common antigen 2 ('VCA-2'), extracellular matrix receptor 1 ('ECMR1'), and galactoprotein b3 ('GAPB3').
Interactions
CD49c has been shown to
interact with:
*
CD9
*
FHL2,
*
LGALS8,
and
*
TSPAN4.
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
*
ITGA3Info with links in th
Cell Migration Gateway
*
Integrins
Clusters of differentiation
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