Focal adhesion complexes pathways

Despite this complexity, most integrins share two, key interrelated functions first, to promote the assembly and organization of the actin cytoskeleton [122, 123] and second, to regulate signal transduction cascades [124-126], Spanning the cell membrane, these subunits serve as a communication pathway, linking the actin cytoskeleton and intracellular cytoplasmic proteins involved in focal adhesion complexes (FACs) with the cell s dynamic extracellular environment (Fig. 8) [127-130]. There are at least 50 distinct proteins known to be involved in FACs. Actin [131], vinculin, talin, tensin, a-actinin, and filamin provide a structural role, while focal adhesion kinase [132], integrin-linked kinase, Src-family kinase, PINCH, paxillin... 

Westendorf et al, 2004, Giancotti and Ruoslahti, 1999). FAK is one of the main components of the integrin mechanotransduction pathway (Rubin et al, 2006, Shakibaei et al., 2008). Once associated with the focal adhesion complex (FAC), FAK is subsequently activated, autophosphorylates and then binds with sarcoma (Src) to form a Src-homology-2 binding domain (Millward-Sadler and Salter, 2004, Yoon and Fisher, 2007). As an SFIC-2 it is able to phosphorylate other proteins such as paxillin and tensin (Millward-Sadler and Salter, 2004, Giancotti and Ruoslahti, 1999). 

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