Fig. 1
From: Integrins and their potential roles in mammalian pregnancy
The Saga of integrins: Basic integrin structure. Integrins are dominant glycoproteins in adhesion cascades. They comprise a ubiquitous family of cation-dependent, heterodimeric [one α-subunit (chain) non-covalently linked to one β-subunit (chain)], intrinsic transmembrane glycoprotein receptors that mediate cellular differentiation, motility, and adhesion. Integrins are grouped according to the ligands they bind. Those that carry out ligand binding through integrin receptor recognition of small peptide sequences include integrins that bind arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD; depicted here), leucine-aspartic-acid-valine (LDV), and glycine-phenylalanine-hydroxyproline-glycine-glutamic acid-arginine (GFOGER) within collagen. Integrins are also grouped into those that bind laminin, and leukocyte-specific receptors