In spite of the relatively mild phenotype of integrin α7-deficient muscle, several studies in mice and humans indicated that integrin α7 subunit could play a significant role in modifying the disease progression in muscular dystrophies involving the absence of DGC components (dystrophin- and γ-sarcoglycan-deficient muscular dystrophies)29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34. The gene discussed is DMD; the disease is muscular dystrophy.