Figure 2.

Focal adhesion (FA) formation and maturation. Immature adhesions, formed after integrin binding (right), are connected to the actin cytoskeleton via a protein complex involving linking proteins such as α-actinin, vinculin and talin. Signalling adaptors, FAK and paxillin, are recruited to these focal complexes (middle). FA formation, activates Rac, thus promoting actin polymerization and inhibiting myosin II coupling in the lamellipodium. These processes are required for the assembly and disassembly of different adhesions upon cell movement. During adhesion maturation the focal complexes develop into larger and longer FAs with the recruitment of more proteins like tensin (middle). Talin, vinculin, and p130Cas, have tension-sensitive conformations. RhoA activation is required for FA formation and actin bundling due to increased myosin II activity. Upon FA disassembly, dynamin is involved in the internalization of the integrins, and microtubule targeting.