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Glycolipids anchor laminin

Laminin (green) uses gal-sulfatide (red) as its anchor.

Two decades ago researchers considered the possibility that glycolipids could link laminin and other extracellular matrix proteins to the cell, but once integrins were discovered the focus switched to protein–protein interactions. Now on page 179, Li et al. show that the glycolipid galactosyl-sulfatide (gal-sulfatide) is a crucial anchor for laminin in Schwann cells and is necessary for basement membrane assembly. However, intracellular signaling requires protein receptors, such as integrins and dystroglycan.Laminin was known to interact with sulfated glycolipids, but the significance of the interaction was not known. Li et al. found that laminin aggregated on the surface of Schwann cells in vitro only in the presence of gal-sulfatide. Treatment of the cells with an enzyme that removed the sulfate groups from the surface blocked laminin binding. Fibroblasts do not normally make a basement membrane, but when the team seeded them with gal-sulfatide, the cells bound laminin. In both cell types, basement membrane formation occurred only after laminin bound to the glycolipid. However, intracellular signaling was triggered when laminin had access to functional ß1-integrins and dystroglycan, not because of the interaction with the glycolipid.

The team has started to look at other systems to see if this phenomenon is common. Already they have found hints that gal-sulfatide is used for the polymerization of laminins and basement membrane formation in embryoid bodies.

Rabiya S. Tuma

rabiya{at}nasw.org

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Laminin–sulfatide binding initiates basement membrane assembly and enables receptor signaling in Schwann cells and fibroblasts

Shaohua Li, Patricia Liquari, Karen K. McKee, David Harrison, Raj Patel, Sean Lee, and Peter D. Yurchenco
J. Cell Biol. 2005 169: 179-189. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This Article Full Text (PDF, 506K) PPT slides of all figures Alert me when this article is cited Services Email this article Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new content in the JCB Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tuma, R. S. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Tuma, R. S. Related Collections Related Article Social Bookmarking                            What's this?