Key roles for fibronectin and its integrin receptors have been postulated in the multiple cell-matrix interactions
essential for chick embryo morphogenesis.
However, mechanistic studies of these processes have been
hampered by the current absence of sequence data and chicken cDNA clones for the major fibronectin receptor
subunit, integrin α5 (ITGA5).
We report here the sequence, endogenous expression pattern, and transfection
of full-length chicken integrin α5.
During early chicken embryonic development, α5 is highly expressed
in cranial neural folds and migrating neural crest cells, suggesting potential roles in neural crest formation
and migration. In fact, over-expression of this integrin in early neural tube selectively induces BMP5, a
growth factor recently implicated in neural crest formationAvailability of these α5 integrin tools should facilitate
studies of its functions in early embryonic development.