Anti-ITGA8

Integrins are heterodimeric transmembrane receptor proteins that mediate numerous cellular processes including cell adhesion, cytoskeletal rearrangement, and activation of cell signaling pathways. Integrins are composed of alpha and beta subunits. This gene encodes the alpha 8 subunit of the heterodimeric integrin alpha8beta1 protein. The encoded protein is a single-pass type 1 membrane protein that contains multiple FG-GAP repeats. This repeat is predicted to fold into a beta propeller structure. This gene regulates the recruitment of mesenchymal cells into epithelial structures, mediates cell-cell interactions, and regulates neurite outgrowth of sensory and motor neurons. The integrin alpha8beta1 protein thus plays an important role in wound-healing and organogenesis. Mutations in this gene have been associated with renal hypodysplasia/aplasia-1 (RHDA1) and with several animal models of chronic kidney disease. Alternate splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms. Protein function: Integrin alpha-8/beta-1 functions in the genesis of kidney and probably of other organs by regulating the recruitment of mesenchymal cells into epithelial structures. It recognizes the sequence R-G-D in a wide array of ligands including TNC, FN1, SPP1 TGFB1, TGFB3 and VTN. NPNT is probably its functional ligand in kidney genesis. Neuronal receptor for TNC it mediates cell-cell interactions and regulates neurite outgrowth of sensory and motor neurons. [The UniProt Consortium]