integrin
noun
in·te·grin
ˈin-tə-grən 
: any of various glycoproteins found on cell surfaces that are involved in the adhesion of cells (such as T cells) to other cells (such as endothelial cells) or to extracellular material (such as fibronectin or laminin) and mediate various biological processes (such as phagocytosis, wound healing, and embryogenesis)
Examples of integrin in a Sentence
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Iñaki Ruiz-Trillo, a biologist at the Institute for Biological Evolution in Barcelona, believes that in these simpler organisms, integrin genes may contribute to the formation of spore sacs.
—
Douglas Fox, Discover Magazine, 24 Oct. 2012
Next, Lee and his team administered a compound that inactivated integrin alpha-5.
—Eva Frederick, Science | AAAS, 13 Dec. 2019
In one cartoon, a man holding an integrin with the wrong shape is about to jump out of an airplane.
—Jonathan Saltzman, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Aug. 2019
In the 1980s Springer discovered integrins, a group of proteins believed to play a role in a variety of serious disorders, from fibrotic diseases to cancer.
—Jonathan Saltzman, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Aug. 2019
In 2011, Reiser and colleagues reported in Nature Medicine that in cell culture, suPAR damaged human podocytes through the integrin pathway.
—Stephen S. Hall, Science | AAAS, 19 Apr. 2018
But his research into a family of proteins known as integrins outgrew the boundaries of his lab.
—Brian Gormley, WSJ, 19 July 2017
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Douglas Fox, Discover Magazine, 24 Oct. 2012
Next, Lee and his team administered a compound that inactivated integrin alpha-5.
—Eva Frederick, Science | AAAS, 13 Dec. 2019
In one cartoon, a man holding an integrin with the wrong shape is about to jump out of an airplane.
—Jonathan Saltzman, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Aug. 2019
In the 1980s Springer discovered integrins, a group of proteins believed to play a role in a variety of serious disorders, from fibrotic diseases to cancer.
—Jonathan Saltzman, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Aug. 2019
In 2011, Reiser and colleagues reported in Nature Medicine that in cell culture, suPAR damaged human podocytes through the integrin pathway.
—Stephen S. Hall, Science | AAAS, 19 Apr. 2018
But his research into a family of proteins known as integrins outgrew the boundaries of his lab.
—Brian Gormley, WSJ, 19 July 2017
Dictionary Entries Near integrin
Cite this Entry
“Integrin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/integrin. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
integrin
noun
in·te·grin
ˈin(t)-ə-grən
: any of various glycoproteins found on cell surfaces that are involved in the adhesion of cells (such as T cells) to other cells (such as endothelial cells) or to extracellular material (such as fibronectin or laminin) and mediate various biological processes (such as phagocytosis, wound healing, and embryogenesis)
Note: Integrins are composed of two dissimilar polypeptide chains (called α and β respectively) that extend through the cell membrane and vary in composition, which can influence their biological activity (such as the specificity of the ligand that they will bind).
Through these 20 or more integrins, the [extracellular] matrix sends cells various signals that regulate what genes are active, ultimately influencing whether cells proliferate, specialize, migrate, or even kill themselves.—Richard Monastersky, Science News
Richard Monastersky, Science NewsEarly on we understood that integrins consist of two protein chains, or subunits. The subunit designated "alpha" is today known to have about 15 variants, and the "beta" subunit has about eight variants.—Alan F. Horwitz, Scientific American
Alan F. Horwitz, Scientific AmericanLove words? Need even more definitions?
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