Integrin β4 Antibody #4707

Integrins are α/β heterodimeric cell surface receptors that play a pivotal role in cell adhesion and migration, as well as in growth and survival (1,2). The integrin family contains at least 18 α and 8 β subunits that form 24 known integrins with distinct tissue distribution and overlapping ligand specificities (3). Integrins not only transmit signals to cells in response to the extracellular environment (outside-in signaling), but also sense intracellular cues to alter their interaction with extracellular environment (inside-out signaling) (1,2).Integrin β4 pairs with integrin α6 on the cell surface membrane to form the integrin α6β4 heterodimer, an important laminin receptor that is essential for hemidesmosome formation and the support of stable adhesions between basal epithelial cells and the basement membrane (4,5). Integrin β4 is an important component in several growth factor induced signaling pathways that are involved in tumorigenesis and invasive cell growth (6,7).