Abstract

The neuropilin (Nrp) family consists of multifunctional cell surface receptors with critical roles in a number of different cell and tissue types. A core aspect of Nrp function is in ligand-dependent cellular migration, where it controls the multistep process of cellular motility through integration of ligand binding and receptor signaling. At a molecular level, the role of Nrp in migration is intimately connected to the control of adhesive interactions and cytoskeletal reorganization. Here, we review the physiological role of Nrp in cellular adhesion and motility in the cardiovascular and nervous systems. We also discuss the emerging pathological role of Nrp in tumor cell migration and metastasis, providing motivation for continued efforts toward developing Nrp inhibitors.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-2014

Notes/Citation Information

Published in Biomolecular Concepts, v. 5, no. 2, p. 157-166.

© 2014 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin/Boston.

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. BY-NC-ND 3.0

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1515/bmc-2013-0035

Funding Information

This work was supported by National Institutes of Health grant R01GM094155. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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