Integrins are heterodimeric integral membrane proteins composed of an alpha chain and a beta chain. Alpha chain 3 undergoes post-translational cleavage in the extracellular domain to yield disulfide-linked light and heavy chains that join with beta 1 to form an integrin that interacts with many extracellular-matrix proteins. The alpha 3 beta 1 integrin is known variously as: very late (activation) antigen 3 (VLA3), very common antigen 2 (VCA2), extracellular matrix receptor 1 (ECMR1), and galactoprotein b3 (GAPB3).