Clone3C12recognizesmouseintegrinalpha7(Itga7)whichbelongstotheintegrinfamilyofadhesionmolecules.Integrinsparticipateinimportantcell-cellandcell-extracellularmatrixinteractionsinadiverserangeof
BIOLOGicalprocesses.Itga7isaheterodimerconsistingofanαandaβsubunitandismainlyexpressedinskeletalandcardiacmuscle.Itisaspecificcellularreceptorforthebasementmembraneproteinlaminin-1,aswellasforthelamininisoforms-2and-4andisinvolvedindifferentiationandmigrationprocessesduringmyogenesis.AbsenceofItga7resultsinmusculardystrophy.Itisalsorequiredtopromotecontractilephenotypeacquisitionindifferentiatedairwaysmoothmusclecells.