Cell adhesion is a process which is initiated by the attachment of cells to specific sites in adhesive matrix proteins via cell surface receptors of the integrin family. This is followed by a reorganization of cytoskeletal elements which results in cell spreading and the formation of focal adhesion plaques. We have examined the effects of a class of small galactosaminoglycan-containing proteogl...

PURPOSE To determine whether trabecular meshwork-inducible glucocorticoid response/myocilin (TIGR/MYOC) protein associates with the extracellular matrix (ECM) of human trabecular meshwork (HTM) cells. METHODS The extracellular localization of TIGR/MYOC was examined by immunofluorescence microscopy in HTM cultures treated with and without dexamethasone and ascorbate and in a transformed HTM ce...

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) adherence to human intestinal tissue is mediated by aggregative adherence fimbriae (AAF); however, the receptors involved in EAEC adherence remain uncharacterized. Adhesion to extracellular matrix proteins is commonly observed among enteric pathogens, so we addressed the hypothesis that EAEC may bind to extracellular matrix proteins commonly found in th...

Recent studies suggested that trafficking of hematopoietic progenitor cells is related to cell cycle status. We studied whether adhesion of progenitor cells to extracellular matrix proteins was modulated by cell cycle transit. Mobilized peripheral blood CD34+ cells were stimulated ex vivo for 48 hours with stem cell factor, flt-3 ligand, and thrombopoietin and fractionated by adhesion to fibron...

Background. Matrix Gla protein (MGP) is a vitamin K-dependent, extracellular matrix protein. MGP is a calcification inhibitor of arteries and cartilage. However MGP is synthesized in many tissues and is especially enriched in embryonic tissues and in cancer cells. The presence of MGP in those instances does not correlate well with the calcification inhibitory role. This study explores a potenti...

Staphylococcus aureus invasion of mammalian cells, including epithelial, endothelial, and fibroblastic cells, critically depends on fibronectin bridging between S. aureus fibronectin-binding proteins (FnBPs) and the host fibronectin receptor integrin alpha(5)beta(1) (B. Sinha et al., Cell. Microbiol. 1:101-117, 1999). However, it is unknown whether this mechanism is sufficient for S. aureus inv...

the histone-like protein hu is the most-abundant dna-binding protein in bacteria. the hu protein non-specifically binds and bends dna as a hetero- or homodimer, and can participate in dna supercoiling and dna condensation. it also takes part in dna functions such as replication, recombination, and repair. hu does not recognize any specific sequences but shows a certain degree of specificity to ...