Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy: An Insight in CellFocal Adhesions

Focal Adhesion (FA) plays a central role in cellattachment and migration; it controls embryogenesis,tissue repair, inflammatory response and tumorinvasion. Cell migrates through the regulatedalternative assembly and disassembly of FocalAdhesion. It pulls the cell body forward by grabbingand releasing Extra-Cellular Matrix (ECM). For itsimportance, the mechanism of FA controlling has beena major research focus during the past 10 years. However, the fundamental question of how the FAassembly and disassembly are precisely controlledremains unanswered. PAK, FAK, Paxillin and GIT1 areimportant structural and signaling components in FA. To answer the critical question in the field of celladhesion and migration, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance(NMR) Spectroscopy is used to study the structuresand regulations between these proteins. This bookfocuses on the structural and functional study ofGIT1 and discusses the Focal Adhesion control throughsome novel discoveries. For the first time, thiswork has consolidated existing evidences, includingsome controversial findings, to provide an excitingworking model on the FA regulation.