A cell surface receptor mediating cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix and to other cells via binding to laminin. It is involved in cell migration, embryonic development, leukocyte activation and tumour cell invasiveness. Integrin alpha6beta1 is the major laminin receptor on platelets; leukocytes; and many epithelial cells, and ligand binding may activate a number of signal transduction pathways. Alternative Splicing of the cytoplasmic domain of the alpha6 subunit (integrin alpha6) results in the formation of A and B isoforms of the heterodimer, which are expressed in a tissue-specific manner.