Kindlins in the cardiovascular system: from development to pathogenesis.

Over a decade ago, Kindlin-2 was first identified as an important effector in heart development. Thereafter, a series of studies demonstrated the pivotal roles of Kindlins in the cardiovascular system. The integrin-dependent and -independent downstream signals of Kindlin-2 is now widely recognized to be essential in many events in cardiovascular system including angiogenesis, vascular permeability, cardiac development. Furthermore, the important role of Kindlins has been demonstrated in the pathogenesis of arteriosclerosis, ischemia/reperfusion injury, acute lung injury, pulmonary hypertension, heart failure and even osteoporosis. Collectively, Kindlins serve as crucial mediators under both physiological and pathological conditions and represent promising therapeutic target in cardiovascular medicine.