This gene encodes an alpha integrin. Integrins are heterodimeric integral membraneproteins composed of an alpha chain and a beta chain. This protein contains an I domain, is expressed in muscle tissue, dimerizes with beta 1 integrin in vitro, and appears to bind collagen in this form. Therefore, the protein may be involved in attaching muscle tissue to the extracellular matrix. Alternative transcriptional splice variants have been found for this gene, but their biological validity is not determined.[6]
According to one study, ITGA11 expression is increased in the anterior stroma of corneal buttons excised from the eyes affected by keratoconus.[7] Another study showed that ITGA11 is overexpressed in myofibroblasts in different human fibrotic diseases, including liver cirrhosis, renal fibrosis, and lung fibrosis tissues.[8] ITGA11 has also been found to be upregulated in the tumor stroma of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. [9] Knocking down of ITGA11 in human pancreatic stellate cells led to the inhibition of their differentiation into myofibroblasts and paracrine effect on tumor cells. [9]
^"Human PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
^"Mouse PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
^Lehnert K, Ni J, Leung E, Gough SM, Weaver A, Yao WP, et al. (September 1999). "Cloning, sequence analysis, and chromosomal localization of the novel human integrin alpha11 subunit (ITGA11)". Genomics. 60 (2): 179–187. doi:10.1006/geno.1999.5909. PMID10486209.
Leomil Coelho LF, Mota BE, Sales PC, Marques JT, de Oliveira JG, Bonjardim CA, et al. (March 2006). "Integrin alpha 11 is a novel type I interferon stimulated gene". Cytokine. 33 (6): 352–361. doi:10.1016/j.cyto.2006.03.007. PMID16697656.
Brandenberger R, Wei H, Zhang S, Lei S, Murage J, Fisk GJ, et al. (June 2004). "Transcriptome characterization elucidates signaling networks that control human ES cell growth and differentiation". Nature Biotechnology. 22 (6): 707–716. doi:10.1038/nbt971. PMID15146197. S2CID27764390.
