The adhesion of cells to the various components of their environment is mediated mainly by molecules known as integrins. Two integrins, α5β1 and αvβ3, mediate adhesion with fibronectin, which is present in the extracellular matrix. But why are 2 molecules involved in the adhesion to a single extracellular component? An article published on-line in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), whose main author is Pere Roca-Cusachs, an IBEC researcher, offers the first experimental answer to this question.

The article shows the functional difference between the 2 integrins, as well as their complementarity. The integrin α5β1 is responsible for resisting the forces of the cellular environment while at the same time maintaining the integrity of the bond between the cell and its environment. The integrin αvβ3, on the other hand, merely detects such forces, without exerting any additional resistance. This discovery also confirms the intuitive idea that the cell is like a microscopic machine with a capacity for detection and resistance with which it relates to its environment.

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