Reconsideration of the laminin receptor 67LR in colorectal cancer cells.

The 67 kDa laminin receptor (67LR) was identified as the first laminin receptor shown to be involved in the carcinogenesis of various cancers, including colorectal cancer. While the exact composition of this 67 kDa receptor remains unknown, it has been reported to be formed by the 37 kDa ribosomal protein SA (RPSA) covalently attached to another unidentified protein. The goal of this study was to clarify the molecular structure of 67LR to enhance our understanding of its role in malignancies.

Integrin α7β1 represses intestinal absorptive cell differentiation.

Intestinal epithelial cell differentiation is a highly controlled and orderly process occurring in the crypt so that cells migrating out to cover the villi are already fully functional. Absorptive cell precursors, which originate from the stem cell population located in the lower third of the crypt, are subject to several cycles of amplification in the transit amplifying (TA) zone, before reaching the terminal differentiation compartment located in the upper third. There is a large body of evidence that absorptive cell differentiation is halted in the TA zone through various epigenetic, transcriptional and intracellular signalling events or mechanisms allowing the transient expansion of this cell population but how these mechanisms are themself regulated remains obscure.

Primary Cilium Identifies a Quiescent Cell Population in the Human Intestinal Crypt.

Primary cilia are sensory antennae located at the cell surface which mediate a variety of extracellular signals involved in development, tissue homeostasis, stem cells and cancer. Primary cilia are found in an extensive array of vertebrae cells but can only be generated when cells become quiescent. The small intestinal epithelium is a rapidly self-renewing tissue organized into a functional unit called the crypt-villus axis, containing progenitor and differentiated cells, respectively.

Fibrin(ogen) Is Constitutively Expressed by Differentiated Intestinal Epithelial Cells and Mediates Wound Healing.

Fibrinogen is a large molecule synthesized in the liver and released in the blood. Circulating levels of fibrinogen are upregulated after bleeding or clotting events and support wound healing. In the context of an injury, thrombin activation drives conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin.

Non-integrin laminin receptors in epithelia.

The interactions between cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) play a major role in normal and pathological conditions. The ECM can modulate several biological functions including cell proliferation, adhesion, differentiation and survival through its interactions with cell receptors. Laminins are one of the most important glycoproteins present in basement membranes, a type of ECM.