ITGA2 (integrin α2) is a transmembrane collagen receptor that mediates cell-matrix adhesion and integrin-dependent signaling 1. As the α2 subunit of the α2β1 integrin heterodimer, ITGA2 binds type I and IV collagen in the extracellular matrix, activating downstream pathways including PI3K-AKT, MAPK, and Hippo signaling 2. Beyond structural adhesion, ITGA2 regulates cellular processes including vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration 1, neural progenitor proliferation during brain development 3, and cancer stem cell maintenance 2. ITGA2 expression is transcriptionally regulated by KLF7 in oral cancer 2 and by the enhancer-associated lncRNA-ITGA2 in vascular disease 1, with TEAD1 serving as a key regulator in prostate cancer 4. Functionally, ITGA2 suppresses tumor progression in prostate cancer; loss of ITGA2 promotes epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and TGFβ1-driven invasiveness 4. Conversely, ITGA2 promotes stemness and therapy resistance in oral squamous cell carcinoma 2 and facilitates radioresistance in nasopharyngeal carcinoma through collagen IV signaling 5. ITGA2 also participates in tumor-promoting ligand-receptor interactions in thyroid cancer 6. These context-dependent roles suggest ITGA2 functions as both tumor suppressor and cancer-promoting factor depending on tissue type and disease context.