Pinch, also designated particularly interesting new Cys-His protein or NY-REN-48, is a focal adhesion protein that is a component of the ILK-PINCH complex. This complex is a major part of the growth factor and integrin signaling pathway. Pinch is involved in cell differentiation, proliferation and survival by acting as an effector of integrin and growth factor signaling. It is a cytoplasmic protein expressed in most tissues and consists of five LIM domains, a nuclear localization signal and a nuclear export signal. The PINCH-1/ILK complex is regulated by a PINCH-1 related protein PINCH-2, which also forms a complex with ILK.
