Dystroglycan: an extracellular matrix receptor linked to the cytoskeleton.

Dystroglycan provides a crucial linkage between the cytoskeleton and the basement membrane for skeletal muscle cells. Disruption of this linkage leads to various forms of muscular dystrophy. Significant recent advances in understanding the structure and function of dystroglycan include detailed in vitro and in vivo analyses of its binding partners in muscle, an examination of its function at the neuromuscular junction, and emerging evidence of its roles in nonmuscle tissues.