Integrins as Signal Transducing Receptors on NK Cells

Considerable effort in the research of adhesion molecules in recent years has been directed toward elucidation of their structure, identification of their ligands, and evaluation of their role in growth, differentiation, and migration. More recent evidence suggests that integrins function not only as adhesive proteins, but also as receptors capable of transducing biochemical signals to the cell interior. In natural killer lymphocytes, integrins have been shown to have a costimulatory role in proliferation, cytotoxicity, and cytokine production. This review will focus on recent advances in the characterization of biochemical pathways activated via integrins on NK cells and elucidation of the participating second messengers.