Integrin the are major extracellular matrix receptors and their functional state
with respect to the affinity for extracellular matrix proteins is pivotal for their biological
activities in physiologic and pathological settings. Integrins’ machinery depends on the
dynamic regulation of their adhesive function in space and time. In cells, integrins exist in
different conformations which determine their affinity for extracellular matrix proteins and
are continuously endocytosed, trafficked through endosomal compartments, and recycled
back to the plasma membrane. Therefore real-time modulation of cell - extracellular matrix
adhesion can result from two interconnected phenomena: the regulation of integrin
conformation and traffic in response to extracellular stimuli. This review summarizes recent
data highlighting the different mechanisms by which semaphorins and their receptors
plexins and neuropilins regulate integrin functions in vascular system.
