Project Details
Laminin-binding integrins and other receptors in the control of epithelial cell migration
Applicant
Professorin Dr. Monique Aumailley
Subject Area
Biochemistry
Term
from 1998 to 2008
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5111096
Cell migration is a complex process. It requires I) cytoskeleton integrity, ii) integrin-mediated contacts with the extracellular matrix and signal transmission at cell adhesion complexes, and III) remodelling of the latter. In the extracellular matrix, laminins are specific ligands for the a3b1, a6b1 and a6b4 integrins which induce morphologically different cell adhesion complexes. The a3b1 integrin transdominantly regulates other integrins, including a6b1, the formation of cell adhesion complexes and cell migration. It is unclear, however, how the a3b1 integrin exerts this control. Intracellular interactions with certain isoforms of PKC could be involved. Our aim is to determine whether and how specific PKC isoforms are associated with the remodelling of integrin signaling complexes during laminin-induced cell migration. This will be approached with biochemical analyses and immunocytochemistry, as well as by using cells from mouse embryos deficient in PKC isoforms after gene inactivation.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes