Integrin-linked kinase regulates chondrocyte shape and proliferation.

Integrin-β1 regulates chondrocyte proliferation and apoptosis through the upregulation of GIT1 expression.

Chondrocytes play a critical role in the repair process of osteoarthritis, which is also known as degenerative arthritis. Integrins, as the key family of cell surface receptors, are responsible for the regulation of chondrocyte proliferation, differentiation, survival and apoptosis through the recruitment and activation of downstream adaptor proteins. Moreover, G-protein-coupled receptor kinase...

Reduced chondrocyte proliferation and chondrodysplasia in mice lacking the integrin-linked kinase in chondrocytes

Chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation requires their attachment to the collagen type II-rich matrix of developing bone. This interaction is mediated by integrins and their cytoplasmic effectors, such as the integrin-linked kinase (ILK). To elucidate the molecular mechanisms whereby integrins control these processes, we have specifically inactivated the ILK gene in growth plate chondrocy...

Integrin Linked Kinase (X-ILK) Function during Embryonic Development and within Adult Tissues of Xenopus laevis

Integrin linked kinase (ILK) is a serine/threonine protein kinase implicated in the phosphatidylinositol 3’kinase (PI3’K) pathway. Integrin linked kinase has been investigated in different organisms such as mammalian systems (human, mice, rat), insects (Drosophila) and nematodes (Cenorhabditis elegans), however to date little data regarding ILK research on amphibians has been reported. In...

Intestinal cell kinase regulates chondrocyte proliferation and maturation during skeletal development

Beta1 integrin deficiency results in multiple abnormalities of the knee joint.

The lack of beta1 integrins on chondrocytes leads to severe chondrodysplasia associated with high mortality rate around birth. To assess the impact of beta1 integrin-mediated cell-matrix interactions on the function of adult knee joints, we conditionally deleted the beta1 integrin gene in early limb mesenchyme using the Prx1-cre transgene. Mutant mice developed short limbed dwarfism and had joi...