Integrins are integral transmembrane glycoproteins composed of noncovalently linked alpha and beta chains. They participate in cell adhesion as well as cell-surface mediated signalling. This gene encodes an integrin alpha chain and is expressed at high levels in chondrocytes, where it is transcriptionally regulated by AP-2epsilon and Ets-1. The protein encoded by this gene binds to collagen. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Dec 2014].