Figure 16.

Schematic representation of costameric proteins, which bidirectionally link the extracellular matrix to the sarcomere. There are two major components of the costamere: the vinculin-talin-integrin complex and the dystrophin glycoprotein complex (DGC). The DGC includes dystrophin, sarcoglycans, α/β dystroglycans, dystrobrevin and syntrophin. Additional integrin-associated proteins include melusin, FAK (focal adhesion kinase), ILK (integrin-linked kinase, PINCH (particularly interesting new cysteine-histidine-rich protein), and kindlin. [Fig. reprinted, with permission, from (292).]