Laminin synthesis and the adhesion characteristics of immortalized human corneal epithelial cells to laminin isoforms

The authors studied the synthesis of laminins and determined the specific integrins mediating the adhesion of immortalized human corneal epithelial cells to mouse laminin-111, and human laminin-332 and laminin-511. The cells produced a3, b3 and g2 chains of laminin-332, but not laminin-111 and laminin-511. Integrin a3B1 complex-mediated the adhesion of corneal epithelial cells to human laminin-332 and laminin-511. Integrin complex a3B, as well as laminin a3 chain, was also shown to mediate cell adhesion to newly produced endogenous laminin-332. The results also show that among corneal basement membrane laminins, laminin-332 is synthesized by epithelial cells while laminin-511 may be a product of keratocytes.