Funds are requested for a Gordon Conference on fibronectin and related macromolecules to meet in Oxnard, California, in February 1993. The paradigm of an extracellular adhesin, fibronectin, interacting with a transmembrane receptor has proven applicable to a number of adhesion systems. In parallel has come the realization that the transmembrane receptor for fibronectin is only one member of the integrin family of functionally and structurally related cell surface receptors. These receptors and their ligands are involved in many basic functions of cells of all types, including plants, e.g., adhesion, determination of shape, differentiation, migration, cytoskeletal organization, and organization of extracellular matrix. The challenge to the field over the next several years is to comprehend and organize the large amount of new structural information and design experiments based on it. This conference will serve as a valuable forum to present and discuss new information, identify problem areas, and plan new approaches.
