The integrin alpha-6 precursor consists of 1130 amino acids, and weighs about 127 kDa. It is found on a variety of epithelial cell types, mostly expressed on stratified squamous epithelia. The ITGA6 gene gives instructions for making the ?6 subunit of two proteins the alpha6beta4 integrin and the alpha6beta1 integrin. Integrins are integral cell-surface proteins composed of alpha chain and beta chain. Combinations of multiple chains result in different integrins. Integrins mediate interactions between adhesion molecules on adjacent cells and/or the extracellular matrix (ECM) and also transmit chemical signals that regulate cell growth and the activity of certain genes. alpha-6/beta-1 function as a receptor for laminin on platelets, while integrin alpha-6/beta-4 is a receptor for laminin in epithelial cells and it plays a critical structural role in the hemidesmosome.