The ending race for sequencing the human genome has left the scientists faced with new challenges. Indeed, now that almost every human gene has been sequenced and precisely positioned on the human chromosomes, one of the next, most burning task consist in understanding how transcription of these genes is ensured in any given cell. The integrins encoding genes are no exception. Integrins bridge the cell to the many components from the extracellular matrix (ECM), such as laminins (LM) and collagens, and thereby transduce intracellular signals that will alter many of the cell's properties such as adhesion, migration, proliferation and survival. As a much clearer picture of the many proteins that belong to this family has emerged over the last few years, tremendous efforts have been dedicated to the identification of the regulatory sequences that modulate their expression. This review provides an overview of the current state of knowledge about the organization of the regulatory elements and the transcription factors (TF) they bind that are used by the cell in order to ensure transcription of each of the integrins gene. A particular attention has been given to those reported to be expressed in the eye. It also explores how components from the ECM might participate in the control of integrins gene expression and establishes links to wound healing of the corneal epithelium, a process that transiently alter the composition of the basement membrane on which the epithelial cells lie.