ABSTRACT
The interaction of cells with each other and their underlying extracellular matrices has long been recognized as important for normal cell function. The means by which cells carry out these interactions has therefore been the subject of intense scientific investigation. The ability of cells to adhere to a limited number of specific adhesive substrates, such as the extracellular matrix proteins fibronectin, laminin, and vitronectin, led to the idea that there were specific cell surface proteins that functioned as “receptors” for these substrates.
